Nutritional Content Does Not Match Labels, 3 Brands of Fortified Rice Withdrawn from Market
The Ministry of Trade (Kemendag) has withdrawn three brands of fortified rice from circulation. This step was taken after testing results found that the nutritional content of the products did not align with the claims stated on the packaging labels.
Fortified rice is a product to which vitamins, minerals, or specific nutrients have been added to enhance its nutritional value. The Director General of Consumer Protection and Trade Order at the Ministry of Trade, Moga Simatupang, explained that the authorities had conducted nutritional tests on 12 out of 40 brands of fortified rice, representing more than 10% of the fortified rice samples authorised for circulation in Indonesia.
“Regarding fortified rice, we have conducted studies and tests. We tested 12 brands out of the 40 brands that hold distribution permits,” said Moga when met at the Nusantara I Building of the DPR RI, Central Jakarta, on Monday (31/8/2026).
Based on the test results, all examined samples met the minimum nutritional requirement of 10 per cent of the Nutrition Reference Value (NRV) or Recommended Dietary Allowance (RDA), in accordance with the National Food Agency Regulation Number 2 of 2023. However, of the 12 brands tested, 3 of them—or 25% of the samples—showed discrepancies between the actual nutritional content and the brand labels.
“Regarding the compliance of industry claims on packaging labels, 9 out of 12 brands, or 75%, were consistent with their claims. Meanwhile, 3 brands, or 25%, showed nutritional content from testing that was lower than the claimed values,” he explained.
On this basis, the Ministry of Trade has ordered the producers of the three brands of fortified rice with non-compliant nutritional content to immediately withdraw their products from the market.
These three brands have been instructed to ensure that the nutritional content in the fortified rice sold matches the claims on their labels. Moga emphasised that if the fortified rice sold still fails to meet the nutritional standards as claimed, producers face the threat of criminal sanctions under existing regulations.
“We have asked them to withdraw and adjust according to their claims. We have already sent them a letter. (If fortified rice continues to circulate below the label?) there are criminal sanctions,” Moga asserted.
Previously, the government had been investigating the circulation of fortified rice sold at much higher prices than medium and premium rice. The inspection focused on vitamin and mineral content, physical quality of the rice, net weight accuracy, product legality, production processes, and the accuracy of information on packaging labels.
This measure was taken to ensure that the public does not pay high prices solely based on fortification claims. Any price increase must be justifiable and accountable through measurable nutritional benefits, product quality, and production processes.
The Director of Food Safety Standard Application and Quality Supervision at the National Food Agency (Bapanas), Brigadier General Hermawan, emphasised that while fortification is an effort to increase the nutritional value of food, it must not be used as a justification for excessive price hikes.
“Rice sold at high prices must be in line with the quality and benefits received by the public. Not only will the nutritional content be inspected, but also the basic quality of the rice, net weight, legality, production processes, and the accuracy of information on the labels,” Hermawan stated in a written statement on Thursday (6/8/2026).