The National Agency of Drug and Food Control (BPOM) has streamlined the procedure for issuing permits for processed food distribution to incentivize producers to produce quality and nutritional food for the nation.

“This requirement is to build healthy Indonesian people and drive the bolstering of product competitiveness so that the economy can revive,” BPOM head Penny K Lukito noted here on Tuesday.

The BPOM is providing support to food MSMEs (micro, small, and medium enterprises) in the form of mentoring, streamlining registration requirements, and reducing registration cost by 50 percent from non-tax state revenues (PNBP) normal tariff, she said.

The BPOM has also streamlined registrations for low risk and very low risk processed food through notifications and analysis results will no longer be a requirement, she highlighted.

In addition, the agency has reviewed facilities to ensure proper processing of food that focuses on sanitation, sampling, and testing for registration, she said.

“BPOM will also routinely conduct monitoring before and after distribution to monitor the food’s security, quality, and nutrition to protect Indonesians’ health and support the people’s economy,” Lukito affirmed.

This prioritizing of MSMEs is very crucial, including through mentoring and facilitation that the BPOM has carried out, she noted.

This is being done to make Indonesian MSMEs competitive and raise their status, support National Economic Recovery (PEN), as well as build the people’s economy for the advancement of Indonesia, she explained.

The BPOM is also encouraging citizens to be smart consumers and always check KLIK — packaging, label, distribution permit, and expiration date — before purchasing or consuming food products, Lukito said.

“Make sure the packaging is in a proper condition, read the information on the label, make sure that it has a distribution permit from BPON, and that it is not past its expiration date,” she expounded.

Source: Antara News