The ministry's Director General of Disease Prevention and Control, Maxi Rein Rondonuwu, stated this on Friday to commemorate World Food Safety Day 2023.
"Our focus is on educational and supervisory efforts through collaborative guidance and monitoring in the food sector," he said.
He noted that one important aspect of food safety is the nutritional content, which should meet the needs of the human body and life cycle.
The director general also highlighted hygienic sanitation as another important point to ensure that food is safe for consumption.
Rondonuwu pointed out that currently, around 200 diseases are caused by contaminated food, which can lead to mild to severe symptoms.
"Diseases that often occur, especially in children, include typhoid, cholera, dysentery, and hepatitis, and these often occur in school and college students," he stated.
These diseases can generally be prevented by leading a hygienic lifestyle, he remarked.
According to Rondonuwu, food should be free from harmful chemicals that can cause long-term adverse effects, such as infectious and non-communicable diseases, including cancer.
The Ministry of Health also pays attention to the excessive sugar, salt, and fat (GGL) content in processed foods, as it is a risk factor for hypertension, heart disorders, stroke, and other conditions.
"This excessive GGL content in food has caused deaths worldwide, including in Indonesia," he pointed out.
Monitoring the presence of GGL hazard labels on processed foods in markets is still challenging due to limited human resources, he added.
"I urge the health offices and local health centers, as well as the directorate's technical implementation unit, to improve guidance and supervision of food management sites," he remarked.
Rondonuwu encouraged relevant parties to not only issue the certificate of food safety but also supervise food management sites.
Additionally, his department has urged the Finance Ministry to impose a tax on sweetened beverages.
World Food Safety Day is celebrated every June 7, and this year's theme is "Food Standards Save Lives."
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Translator: Andi F, Kenzu
Editor: Anton Santoso
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