Fresh and Processed Food Products Free of E. coli

Outbreaks of Escherichia coli (E. coli) species in Europe that allegedly dangerous source of raw vegetables is enough to make a number of countries to increase their vigilance that may be associated transmission can occur through contamination of food. Ministry of Agriculture as a responsible party in control of fresh foods (vegetables and fruit), said that so far not found E. coli bacteria in vegetables and fruits in Indonesia.

"This is based on observations from January to May 2011," said Deputy Minister of Agriculture, Dr. Ir. Krisnamurthi during a press conference at the Ministry of Health Building on Friday (06/10/2011) yesterday.

According to Bayu, anticipation already done the Ministry of Agriculture with forming the instrument or a government agency tasked with guarding the save, in this case Quarantine Agency. Today, Quarantine Agency has all the equipment needed to conduct tests on products that enter into Indonesia in the fresh form. "Included for testing whether food is contaminated with E.coli," he added.

Bayu added, vegetables and fresh fruit are served only in 10 ports, namely port that does have a plant quarantine facility. Certainly among the top 10 even then, capacity and laboratoriummnya not the same. So far as the port of Jakarta and Surabaya, which has the finest facilities and full quarantine.

"If these develop into more serious again, then with the Ministry of Health and Agriculture to establish a dedicated port. So imports can only be done through specific ports. So therefore we can limit," he said.

Bayu memaparkarkan, based on monitoring results from the month of January to May 2011, had occurred 36 (thirty six) times the activity of import from all countries in Europe, especially Germany, France, Netherlands and Portugal. During the year 2011, said Bayu, Indonesia has never imported bean sprouts, cucumber and lettuce fresh from europe which is suspected as the cause of the risk factors for disease.

In addition, the Ministry of Agriculture also will communicate intensively with the existing quarantine authorities in Europe, especially Germany, France, the Netherlands. Related matters such as whether the vegetables should have a certificate or not, continued Bayu, remains to be seen whether future developments such action is necessary.

"What is clear Quarantine Agency is ready to be a save guard for the importation of products of vegetables and fresh fruit," he said.

Meanwhile, the Food and Drug Monitoring Agency (BPOM), as a body charged with monitoring the processed food ensure none of processed products that have been sampled contain E.coli.

This is according to Kustantinah, based on test results POM 2010, which has conducted tests on about 15,260 samples processed food be purchased from the circulation. And for the parameters E. coli, according to the standard testing is only performed on processed food products of a particular instance cheese, margarine, frozen vegetable, vegetable-based chips, cocoa, and fish processing.

"The amount of processed food listed in the POM was 44 thousand items. 30 of them imported products. And no more than 5 percent of processed food products from Europe," he said.

POM Perketatan also done by testing on fast food that is usually requested testing by the caterers-catering. Such as, rice, sweet tea, snack patients, meatballs, vegetables, cooked chicken, noodles. "And from the test results none of which contains E. coli," he concluded.