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Food additive limit lauded, but clearer plans, messages urged
To limit the consumption of salt, sugar and fat, the government will limit food additives in processed and instant foods, a move aimed at reducing the risk of obesity and noncommunicable diseases such as hypertension and diabetes that have been burdening the country.
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Elementary school students buy snacks on Aug. 1, 2024, outside their school in Cimahi, West Java. Government Regulation (PP) No. 28/2024 on the implementing regulation of the 2023 Health Law mandates that regional administrations supervise food and beverages sold around schools and prevent the sale of food with excessive additives, including salt, sugar and fat. (Antara/Novrian Arbi)
T
he new regulation restricting the production and marketing of processed foods with excessive salt, sugar and fat was met with high hopes of helping the country reduce its growing noncommunicable disease (NCD) burden.
But some experts say the policy is unclear on how to implement the food additive limitation on the ground, urging better public and industry participation in discussions to set such limits.
The restrictions were stipulated in Government Regulation (PP) No. 28/2024, which was issued on July 26 as the implementing regulation for the Health Law passed last year. The 2023 law, which contains 20 chapters and more than 450 articles, was enacted with the aim of bringing sweeping changes to the country’s health sector.
Among various issues addressed in the new policy are provisions mandating strict limitations on salt, sugar and fat added to processed and instant foods.
The limit will be set by the Office of the Coordinating Human Development and Culture Minister and other relevant ministries and state bodies. The deliberation will consider risk analysis on NCDs from excessive salt, sugar and fat consumption and international standards set by international health and food organizations.
Aside from limiting food additives, the government will also restrict the advertising and sale of processed foods containing additives higher than the set limit, including those imported from overseas. The advertising restrictions include the ban of television ads at a certain time of day and of promotions targeted at certain age groups as well as a complete sales ban in certain areas.
The PP also stipulates a plan to impose an excise on certain processed foods, although the regulation does not mention any details regarding the tax.
