Indonesia is well-known to have one of the strongest-flavoured cuisines in Asia, which has imperatively led to much heavier usage of salt and sugar in food preparations.
The Indonesian Ministry of Health (MOH) has moved to counter this via regulatory means, establishing mandatory maximum content limits for nutrients conventionally considered ‘unhealthy’- i.e. sugar, salt and fat – targeting processed food products.
“This regulation aims to regulate the management of non-communicable diseases [via initiatives such as] controlling sugar, salt and fat consumption in processed foods including fast foods,” MOH Director of Implementation System for Standards and Conformity Assessment Konny Sagala stated via a formal statement.
“The determination of maximum content limits for [these nutrients] will be further coordinated [in accordance with] local development and cultural considerations, as well as by considering risk assessments and/or international standards.
“[All parties] who produce, import, or distribute processed foods, including fast food, shall comply with the maximum content limits of sugar, salt, and fat and include this information on the relevant nutrition labels on the relevant packaging (processed foods) or information media (fast foods).
“Administrative consequences for violations of [these] content limits in processed food could [include] written warnings, administrative charges, temporary suspension of production or distribution activities, withdrawal of products from circulation, and revocation of business licenses.”
Food and beverage companies unable to meet the requirements set under these new regulations have also been specifically banned from any form of advertising or marketing their products.
“[All parties] that do not comply with the content limits are prohibited from advertising, promotion, and sponsorship activities at specific times and locations as well as to particular consumer target groups,” MOH added.
“The use of ingredients that are carry the risk of causing non-communicable diseases in processed food production is also restricted or prohibited [in Indonesia].”
The notification of this regulation was submitted to the WTO Committee on Technical Barriers to Trade on November 4 2024, and will remain open to the public for comment for 60 days from this date.
Local administration
In addition to the international-level regulations submitted to the WTO in consideration of foreign processed food imports to Indonesia, MOH also established articles as part of this regulation which grant more authority to local governments to control potential risks of non-communicable diseases.
“Provincial governments and district/city authorities now have the authority to establish local policies to cut down the risk of non-communicable diseases,” said MOH.
“These include regulations for food and beverage vendors selling around schools and work areas, supervision of food promotions and campaigns, supervision of cottage industry foods and RTE foods as well as snacks, mandating affordable fruits and other healthy snacks being sold and more.
“We also expect the community to play their part by increasing their knowledge and participation in health promotion and disease prevention activities.”
