The National Food and Drug Monitoring Agency (BPOM) has demanded that condensed be advertised properly.
High consumption of sugar has led to excessive weight gain and obesity, health problems that are threatening society.
A popular ingredient high in sugar in Indonesia is susu kental manis (sweetened condensed milk). It comes in plain or chocolate flavors and is commonly used as an ingredient in baking. Despite being classified as milk or chocolate milk, condensed milk is very high in sugar and contains little fresh milk.
Despite this, for many years, sweetened condensed milk has been labeled, marketed and advertised as a type of milk that is high in nutrition. Printed on the packages of condensed milk are serving suggestions that recommend that the product be mixed with water and consumed in a glass twice daily.
To raise awareness over the threat of high sugar consumption, the National Food and Drug Monitoring Agency (BPOM) issued a letter of instruction addressing the producers of sweetened condensed milk.
The BPOM instructed that sweetened condensed milk not be marketed as other types of milk, such as fresh milk, pasteurized milk, sterilized milk, formula milk and fortified milk.
It stated that sweetened condensed milk should not project images of children under five years old, images of fresh milk and images of milk in a glass. Moreover, TV commercials of sweetened condensed milk are prohibited from being aired during children’s TV programs.
Read also: Diabetes, obesity lurk behind condensed milk
Lastly, the BPOM ordered producers, importers and distributors of condensed milk to adjust accordingly to the instructions.
Jadi bener ya, minuman2 ini udah dilarang BPOM utk pakai nama 'susu' karena memang isinya GULA
Semoga masyarakat sadar jgn kebanyakan ngasih ini ke anak dipikir mau 4Sehat5Sempurna jdnya malah obesitas & diabetes pic.twitter.com/yiYdfa9CUM
— Dondi (@dondihananto) July 1, 2018
Some producers have already adhered to the BPOM’s instruction by omitting the word milk from the product name susu kental manis at the center of the label. Other brands have changed the product name to krimer kental manis (sweetened condensed creamer). (mut)
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