T

he Food and Drug Monitoring Agency (BPOM) has revealed in a report that 22 out of 56 coffee samples randomly taken from markets in several cities contain chemical compounds, namely tadalafil and sildenafil, which are normally used to treat erectile dysfunction.

These substances, if used improperly, could have side effects that could lead to death.

“Twenty-two of 56 coffee products sampled contained chemical substances that were often used to treat erectile dysfunction. Some products contain either tadalafil or sildenafil, but others have both of these chemical substances. We must be on guard against these products,” BPOM chairwoman Kustantinah said at a media conference held at the BPOM head office on Jl. Percetakan Negara, Central Jakarta.

Tadalafil, an active chemical substance commonly marketed in the form of pills under the brand name of Cialis, can increase blood flow to certain organs of the body. Doctors often use the drug to treat impotence or erectile dysfunction. Meanwhile, sildenafil is commonly sold as Viagra and is a popular drug to treat not only erectile dysfunction but also pulmonary arterial hypertension. Both tadalafil and sildenafil are categorized as strong drugs and are legally available only on prescription.

“Improper use of these two drugs can cause headaches, a ruddy complexion, nausea, vomiting, vision disorders, abdominal pain, palpitations or erratic heartbeat and even myocardial infarction or heart attack.

“Just imagine what could happen if people with heart problems consumed coffee containing these two chemical substances. They may suffer heart failure and even death,” said Kustantinah, adding that consuming too much tadalafil and sildenafil could lead to permanent impotence.

Pure coffee, she said, contains no chemical substances. “Thus, if we find added chemical substances in the products, it may be economically motivated on the part of manufacturers.”

Suratmono, director of food inspection and certification at the BPOM, said market operations conducted in two major cities, namely Surabaya and Bandung, had netted a large amount of coffee products that contained tadalafil and sildenafil.

“In Surabaya, we seized two trucks of coffee products worth Rp 4 billion (US$440,000), and Rp 150 million worth in Bandung. It’s the latest reports that we have from Balai Besar POM in those two cities. We may get more reports from other cities,” he said, adding that similar inspections were ongoing in Jakarta and other cities.

Law No.7/1996 on food restricts the use of drugs in food processing, since it poses potential risks to human health. Article 55 of the 1996 law stipulates that any food manufacturers who violate the ruling could face a maximum five years in prison and/or a maximum fine of Rp 600 million.

Kustantinah said most of the packages were marked with “Pangan Industri Rumah Tangga (PIRT)” registration numbers, showing that the products were made by cottage industries. Only local governments at the regency and municipality levels have the authority to issue such registration numbers, she added.

The authenticity of the PIRT registration numbers remains unknown.

“We are still investigating to see whether the PIRT registration numbers on the products are authentic. They could be fictitious. Even if the PIRT registration numbers are genuine, still we will ask local authorities to revoke the permits,” said Kustantinah, adding that the agency also urged the food manufacturers to stop manufacturing and distributing products that contained hazardous chemical substances. Dangerous products collected during the raids would be destroyed, she added.