TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - The National Food and Drug Supervisory Agency (BPOM) head Penny K. Lukito confirmed that the agency seized a number of Starbucks instant coffee sachets imported from Turkey for not having a distribution permit.

The findings were obtained after BPOM held special routine surveillance ahead of the 2022 Christmas and 2023 New Year holidays.

“Starbucks sachet product that was confiscated came from Turkey, it was found in Banjarmasin and without a distribution permit,” said Penny in a press conference, Monday, December 26, 2022.

She thus appealed to the public to carefully check information on imported products sold through various means of distribution in the country, especially during the year-end holiday. This is because many importers often sent expired imported products at the end of the year.

“There are lots of expired imported products that ahead of this festive season are thrown away and then shipped to Indonesia,” said Penny. “Maybe that’s because Indonesians like imported products, isn’t that?”

Most registered imported products came from Malaysia and China, followed by Singapore, South Korea, Europe, and the U.S.

Since December 1, 2022, BPOM has conducted special routine supervision. As a result, 66,113 products worth Rp666.9 billion were found not to meet distribution requirements.

The agency’s deputy for processed food supervision, Rita Endang, explained that most of them were expired food products totaling 36,978. The other 23,752 food products were not registered, and the rest 5,383 food products were damaged.

BISNIS.COM

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