BBPOM DKI Urges Residents to Beware Brightly Colored Takjil

Jakarta — The Food and Drug Supervisory Agency (BBPOM) for DKI Jakarta has urged residents to beware brightly coloured takjil to prevent consuming foods that may contain hazardous substances.

‘So if the takjil is coloured, choose ones whose colour is not bright,’ said Evi Citraprianti, Head of the BBPOM DKI Jakarta Information and Communications Team, when she was encountered at the takjil market in the Gandaria Utara area, Jakarta, on Wednesday.

Evi said that bright colours in foods and drinks are feared to indicate the addition of textile dye substances that should be avoided.

She also noted foods such as kerupuk and fried snacks that could be known to contain harmful substances. ‘So if we taste this, and the kerupuk tastes bitter, that probably indicates the addition of borax,’ she said.

As for how to identify tofu containing formalin: its texture is hard. ‘The sign is when the tofu is hard, that probably indicates the addition of formalin,’ she said.

Food surveillance at takjil markets is expected to educate the public on the importance of consuming healthy foods.

The South Jakarta City Administration (Pemkot Administrasi Jakarta Selatan) has deployed a task force to monitor food safety during the holy month of Ramadhan 1447 Hijriah.

The task force comprises elements from the Office of Industry, Trade, Cooperatives, Small and Medium Enterprises (PPKUKM), the Office of Health, the Office of Food Security, Fisheries and Agriculture (KPKP), the local economic affairs section, and BBPOM.

The formation of the task force aims to ensure that all processed foods in the South Jakarta area are free from hazardous substances, such as formalin, textile dyes, and other additives.