BPOM Uncovers Two Formaldehyde-Tainted Noodle Factories in Bogor

BPOM officers investigate formalin-tainted noodles confiscated during a raid on two Bogor noodle factories last year. (JG Photo)

Bogor. The Indonesian Food and Drug Monitoring Agency (BPOM) along with officers from the National Police confiscated 50 kilograms of formaldehyde, known locally as formalin, and hundreds of kilograms of noodles produced using the hazardous substance during a raid in two noodle factories in Bogor’s subdistrict of Bojonggede, West Java, Saturday.

“According to temporary investigations, the two factories produce up to six tons of noodles in one production cycle,” said Mustofa, director of hazardous products and materials for the BPOM. “It is known that the noodles contain over 1.5 milligrams of the hazardous substance, which is definitely a threat to one’s health.”

Formalin is an aqueous form of formaldehyde, a known carcinogen. The substance is often illegally used as a preservative in several food items such as chicken, fish, noodles and tofu in Indonesia.

The raid follows a two-month-long investigation by a team from the agency, Mustofa said.

The factories reportedly employ up to 20 people and own four cars used to market the products to traditional markets and noodle vendors within the Greater Jakarta area.

Mustofa added that the factories had been in operation for three years, with noodles being sold for Rp 45,000 per five kilograms, a price said to be cheaper by up to Rp 20,000 ($1.60) compared to noodles that do not contain formaldehyde.

Lilik, owner of the factories who reportedly buys formaldehyde from a drugstore in South Tangerang, is charged with the 2012 Food Law, which sees a maximum sentence of five years imprisonment and a maximum fine of Rp 10 billion.

Mustofa has called on the public to avoid consuming food containing formaldehyde, emphasizing it could lead to digestive disorders and paralysis.

“Noodles containing formaldehyde are typically brighter in its color and are tougher,” he said.

gadfly

Look at those noodles! It’s radioactive/fluorescent yellow! Wonder how much coloring used in that? Even if it’s “permitted” food coloring, the amount used cannot be safe!
jaytee

“a maximum sentence of five years imprisonment and a maximum fine of Rp 10 billion”

using carcinogen in food intended for sale to the public should carry a minimum sentence of 20 years in jail and a maximum of life in prison without parole, that’s how you deter greedy people like this individual

this guy is no different than a serial killer
mauriceg

Why can’t this organ name the company and its products? In addition, i’d like to see each and every warung, shop, store, supermarket, whatever other outlets take these and similar products off their shelves, and warn prospective customers not to purchase them. Why is this too hard for Indonesians to do? This is not racism. it is the undisguised frustration with an infantile Indonesian mindset that can’t (won’t) cope with dealing with anything, even the lives and wellbeing of its consumers and citizens, and food-safety regulation enforcement, unless a bribe is paid. This is beyond revolting, and this newspaper has not made the effort to identify the products to its readers. I say shame on you for cowardice in not naming names, and ignorance in not considering that important.
mauriceg

Further to my post, I recall that China executes corruptors and food-tainters. I suggest that the Indonesian army could get some target practice with live ammo on these scum after a fair trial.
morganfairchild

it’s a fact that not many indonesian food products can be exported because they don’t meet world food safety standards …
- lost-and-found
  
  Strangely enough, I’ve spotted Indonesia food products sold overseas but the ingredients don’t contain the likes of MSG and certain food coloring so why can’t they sell the same at home?
  
  Have you see the contents of that blue colored carton of Indo Milk? It is sold as fresh milk but has flavoring and other stuff added to. What’s wrong with plain milk that Indonesians need flavoring added?
  - Marvin42
    
    Sadly, many Indonesians think that Indonesian products sold abroad are less tasty and therefore would very much prefer the domestic – often more dangerous to health – variants. Hence if sold at home those products sold abroad would be less popular that those with ‘full strength recipes’. Indonesian taste buds are so used to strong flavours; very sweet, very salty kind of food is the norm, at the expense of health. Education is of course needed to combat this.
    - lost-and-found
      
      I’d have to agree on the strong taste, especially when it comes to saltyness. I’ve often found food very salty at times but my wife and others do not notice it so much. Often this is due to the excessive use of those MSG laden salts they sell here.
Joe90

Always has amused me here that Cans of Coke etc and even honey have expiry dates on them. Most nations distinguish between “Best Before” or “use by”. Then you see all the Bakso kaki limas with month old meat balls festering in sun, but never going bad (as such) as they are packed with formalin……
- lost-and-found
  
  What’s even more amazing to me here is the best before dates on fresh milk. Even un-opened fresh milk is best for about 5-7 days at the most and then I always try to use within 3 days from opening but in both cases it has to be kept refrigerated below 5 deg C. Here you have about 4 weeks. I bought milk the other day on the 12th Oct with a BBD of 10th Nov. How is this possible?
lost-and-found

Also consider how dirty that wall behind them looks. No hygiene here from the looks of it.
- jaytee
  
  What dirty wall??? That’s the new type of wall paper made from left over noodles by this very same noodle factory (sarc off)
cranberry

At universities in the United States, one studies cadavers (dead bodies) in anatomy lab, which are preserved in formaldehyde. What sort of people would add this poison to food?
Did they learn this from China, where people added plastic (melamine) to baby formula to make it appear to be higher in protein, by increasing the nitrogen count when tested? Where are your factory inspectors from the government? What are your government health inspectors and pharmacists doing? The must have gone to the same school as the transportation chief who buys faulty buses to make extra money. Likely the shops were raided because those men in the photo did not receive their bribe money.
How many people are afraid to eat pork, which when cooked properly does not have parasites, but will die from noodles made with formaldehyde and from improperly cooked beef or chicken which is full of bacteria from insufficient temperature and flies? Does anyone know right from wrong and I’m not talking about sexual morals, I’m talking about caring for your fellow human being? The owner who puts this poison in the food is an evil person.
By the way, the excessive sodium in noodles and soy sauce is the cause of high blood pressure which causes strokes.

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BPOM Uncovers Two Formaldehyde-Tainted Noodle Factories in Bogor

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