Indonesia Prepares Draft Regulation on Registration of Processed Foods

On 10 October 2022 Indonesia's National Food and Drug Control Agency (Badan Pengawas Obat dan Makanan—BPOM) opened for public consultation the BPOM Draft Regulation Concerning Processed Food Registration. When the draft regulation eventually comes into force, BPOM Regulation No. 27 of 2017, as amended by BPOM Regulation No. 7 of 2021, which is the existing legal framework for the registration of processed foods, will be repealed and replaced. This draft regulation is currently under discussion. However, the comment period ended on 14 October 2022.

3E Review 

This draft regulation aims to protect the public from processed foods that do not meet safety, quality, nutrition, and labeling requirements. In general, it introduces various provisions that address the registration of processed food products. The draft regulation introduces Business Licenses to Support Business Activities (Perizinan Berusaha untuk Mendukung Kegiatan Usaha—PB-UMKU), which will be issued to food business operators in relation to the distribution of processed food products.

In addition, the draft regulation broadens the scope of the requirements that apply to processed foods that are produced domestically for sale in retail packaging, including the requirement for said products not to contain any prohibited pesticides, a requirement which was not specified under the previous framework of BPOM Regulation No. 27 of 2017.

The draft regulation would amend the list of types of processed food products that are exempted from the PB-UMKU requirement. The list contains the following types of processed food:

• Foods that are part of government programs
• Donated foods
• Foods, excluding food additives, that are sold and packaged in front of buyers in only small quantities
• Foods subject to minimal processing, such as washing, peeling, drying, milling, cutting, salting, freezing, mixing, waxing, and/or blanching without changing their original shape

The draft regulation also includes the specific registration procedures that must be submitted electronically via the official BPOM website. The BPOM will undertake verification once the data and documents are submitted.

3E Analysis

Once the draft regulation is in force, businesses and distributors must comply with it and will be held responsible for the safety, quality, and nutritional content of their products. Applications should be submitted electronically through the official website for the submission of applications for review by the BPOM.