Formalin-Contaminated Salted Fish Still Circulating in Jakarta as Province Tightens Supervision

JAKARTA — The Jakarta Provincial Government continues to discover several fish products containing formalin on the market. These findings are typically identified in salted fish products circulating across various markets.

Hasudungan Sidabalok, Head of the Jakarta Food Security, Marine, and Agricultural Service (KPKP), stated that oversight of fresh food products continues to be conducted, particularly in markets that are more difficult to reach for supervision.

“The findings that still occur are usually in salted fish products containing formalin. Our next monitoring focus will be independent markets or neighbourhood markets that are harder to supervise,” said Sidabalok at Lotte Grosir Pasar Rebo on Monday, 9 March 2026.

“Jakarta Provincial Government has already conducted fresh food oversight at more than 200 traditional market and supermarket locations with approximately 30,000 samples. The testing parameters include formalin, spoilage levels, pesticide residues, chlorine, and borax,” he added.

The inspections were conducted through three government-owned laboratories: fisheries, livestock, and agricultural laboratories.

Based on the testing results, approximately 99 per cent of fresh food products circulating in Jakarta were declared safe for consumption.

Previously, the Indonesian Food and Drug Authority (BPOM) also conducted food safety inspections at Lotte Grosir Pasar Rebo in East Jakarta, ahead of Eid al-Fitr 1447 Hijriah. According to Kompas.com observations on site, BPOM Head Taruna Ikrar, accompanied by Jakarta Provincial Secretary Uus Kuswanto and East Jakarta Vice Mayor Kusmanto, conducted a tour to verify distribution permits and the safety of food products sold at the location.