Jambi Quarantine Office Rejects 40 Tons of Peanut Imports from Malaysia
The Indonesian Quarantine Agency (Barantin), through the Jambi Animal, Fish, and Plant Quarantine Office, rejected the import of 40 tons of peanuts from Malaysia due to the detection of high levels of aflatoxin.
“The peanuts contained aflatoxin levels exceeding the maximum threshold of 20 µg/kg and aflatoxin B1 exceeding the Maximum Residue Limit (MRL) of 15 µg/kg,” said the Head of the Jambi Quarantine Office, Sudiwan Situmorang, in Jambi on Wednesday.
Based on the results of laboratory tests, the total aflatoxin contamination exceeded the threshold set in the Minister of Agriculture’s Regulation No. 55 of 2016, which is 20 micrograms per kilogram (20 µg/kg).
“This rejection is a preventive measure to ensure that commodities that do not meet food safety and quality standards do not circulate in the community,” said Sudiwan Situmorang.
Sudiwan further explained that Barantin plays a leading role in preventing the entry and spread of carriers that pose risks to food safety and quality.
The quarantine action is a concrete form of the quarantine’s presence in protecting the public from potential food hazards that do not meet standards.
The commodity entered through the Dagang Port, Tungkal Ulu District, Tanjung Jabung Barat Regency, Jambi Province.
According to the documents, Malaysia is listed as the exporting country, while the country of origin of the peanuts is India.
The Jambi Quarantine Office had rejected the shipment to the exporting country on Tuesday (February 24) and had previously sent a Notification of Non-Compliance (NNC) to the authorities of that country.
“Supervision of imported commodities is carried out through document inspection, physical inspection, and laboratory testing to ensure compliance with applicable food safety standards in Indonesia. This is done to prevent health risks to humans and the environment,” said Sudiwan.
The results of the laboratory tests at the Center for Animal, Fish, and Plant Quarantine Standards (BBUSKHIT) showed that the level of aflatoxin B1 (AFB1) in the commodity was 52.0114 µg/kg, far exceeding the MRL of 15 µg/kg. The total aflatoxin in the commodity reached 60.0659 µg/kg, while the maximum threshold is 20 µg/kg.
AFB1 is a mycotoxin that is a major concern in food safety at both the national and global levels. AFB1 is carcinogenic and can cause serious health problems, such as liver damage, decreased immune system, and an increased risk of liver cancer if consumed above the established threshold.
“Supervision of contamination in these commodities is an important step to ensure the quality and safety of food, and we urge business actors to always ensure that every commodity being traded meets the safety and quality requirements in accordance with applicable regulations,” said Sudiwan.
Previously, in early February, the Riau Quarantine Office also rejected 80 tons of imported peanut commodities from Malaysia that did not meet food safety standards. This is in line with Barantin’s goal of continuing to strengthen the supervision of commodity traffic, especially those with high risks of contamination.