TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Food and Drug Monitoring Agency [BPOM] chief Penny Lukito said her agency had found that 27 brands of canned fish circulating in the country had been tainted with parasitic worms.
“Sixteen imported brands and 11 local products,” she said at BPOM building in Jakarta, Wednesday, March 28.
On the occasion, the BPOM showcased various canned fish brands that were contaminated with positive parasitic worms, among them ABC, Pronas, Botan, King's Fisher, and Gaga.
Penny said the findings were the results of a series of tests involving 541 samples of canned fish from 66 brands circulating nationwide. The tests was a follow-up to the discovery of threadworms in a Farmer Jack Mackerel product in Pekanbaru, Riau on Tuesday, March 20 2018.
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Penny explained a team from the BPOM was still looking into the case up to the origin of the products, including the waters from which the fish were taken. “From the waters off China and its surroundings,” she said.
Penny said the agency had also halted the imports of those particular products, pending further audit and testing.
As for the local products, Penny said the agency had temporarily ceased the imports of mackerel used for the products. She added the agency had also ordered producers and importers to recall all of their products from the market.
Penny said the agency had also coordinated with the Maritime Affairs and Fisheries Ministry to inform the Chinese government on this matter.
In the future, she said, the agency would keep an eye on the recall and demolition of canned fish tested positive for parasitic worms. She added the BPOM would also continue its laboratory testing involving more samples of other canned fish products.
ADAM PRIREZA