South Jakarta finds takjil samples containing formalin and borax during Ramadan

South Jakarta Administrative City Health Office officers have found takjil samples containing formalin and borax during inspections conducted in Ramadan 1447 AH.

‘Eleven samples tested positive for formalin and two samples contained borax,’ said Fitria Ramdhita, Head of the Disease Prevention and Control (P2P) section of South Jakarta, when contacted in Jakarta on Thursday.

Fitria said that the 13 samples were examined at the Regional Health Laboratory (Labkesda) of DKI Jakarta from a total of 644 samples consisting of 544 food samples and 40 beverage samples.

The samples known to contain hazardous substances were found in yellow noodles and kerupuk (Indonesian crackers).

‘Total samples tested: 644 from 318 takjil tenants across 10 sub-districts that we have examined during Ramadan since 23 February 2026,’ she said.

In response to the findings, the South Jakarta Health Office has provided guidance to traders not to resell takjil containing hazardous substances.

‘We have provided guidance to traders and urged them not to sell products with positive results,’ she said.

The South Jakarta Administrative City Government has deployed a task force to oversee food safety during Ramadan 1447 AH.

The task force is a joint effort involving the Health Office, the Industry, Trade, Cooperatives, Small and Medium Enterprises (PPKUKM) Office, the Health Office, the Food Security, Maritime and Fisheries, and Agriculture (KPKP) Office, the regional economy section and BPOM (the Food and Drug Monitoring Agency).

The task force was established to ensure all processed foods in South Jakarta are free from hazardous substances, such as formalin, textile dyes and other additives.