"Food safety control is usually conducted with the team from the National Agency for Drug and Food Control (BPOM) and is routinely carried out," Head of the Industry and Trade Office of Lampung Elvira Umihanni stated here on Tuesday.
According to Umihanni, food control is conducted to ensure the safety of foods circulating in the community.
"Usually, food safety control is carried out in retail (stores) or traditional markets thoroughly," she stated.
She further noted that food safety control, especially ahead of the year-end, will be conducted soon.
"Currently, we are focusing on controlling prices. However, it (food safety control) will be scheduled soon for the control of foods that are in the market," she remarked.
Umihanni noted that so far, based on the implementation of food controls, not many foods were found expired or unfit for consumption.
"Every year, indeed, not many foods were found expired or unfit for consumption. (It is) especially now that consumers are smarter because they will independently check the food before buying," she explained.
She noted that later, food safety control would be focused on traditional markets.
"Retail (stores) are relatively safe because the inspection is more intensive, as there is management and a team that control food quality. Thus, maybe later, it will be focused on traditional markets although inspections at retail (stores) will still be carried out," she remarked.
She expressed hope that ahead of the year-end, food sellers can sell foods that are fit for consumption, and consumers would continue to check the food that they will consume independently.
"Hence, the hope is that there would be no findings of foods that are expired or unfit for consumption," she remarked.
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Translator: Ruth Intan, Raka Adji
Editor: Suharto
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