Government applies Nutri-level system to beverages in initial phase
“Based on public testing data and our observations, most excess sugar and fat intake comes from sweetened beverages,” Head of BPOM Taruna Ikrar said here on Tuesday.
Due to the significant amount of food business in Indonesia at approximately 1.7 million, the policy is introduced in stages, Ikrar remarked.
During the grace period, the institution will also promote the policy by providing “healthy food” designation as a reward for business players who comply with the regulations, which would attract more customers to buy their products.
Other incentives for compliant businesses include faster licensing processes, he added.
Ikrar added that the Nutri-level policy is based on the Law on Health number 17 of 2023, aiming at protecting the people from deadly non-infectious diseases such as stroke, heart disease, and kidney disease through public education.
“And these causes can be prevented if sugar, salt, and fat are consumed within recommended limits. Prevention is better than treatment,” he said.
Moreover, he explained that 73 percent of deaths in Indonesia are caused by non-communicable diseases, compared to the global average of 70 percent.
Health Minister Budi Gunadi Sadikin also said that at the moment, the Nutri-level is more educational rather than mandatory. There is a grace period of one to two years, he said.
The Health Ministry and BPOM will monitor implementation according to their respective authorities, with Sadikin’s administration overseeing compliance in major restaurants and large restaurant chains.
The Nutri-level system consists of four categories. A in dark green for appropriate levels of sugar, salt, and fat; B in light green; C in yellow; and D in red for high levels of these components.
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