Workshop on MoniQA by SEAFAST Center

Southeast Asian Food and Agriculture Science and Technology (SEAFAST) Center, Bogor Agricultural University organized the Workshop on Monitoring and Quality Assurance (MoniQA) in the Food Supply Chain, on Thursday, 1 December 2010, at Campus Baranangsiang. "MoniQA, which has 150 members from 40 countries, is a European commission to monitor and garantee  the quality of the food distribution agency. According to Dr. Roland Ernest Pom, the MoniQA Coordinator the objectives of MoniQA are as follows: (1). To provide guidance on international food quality standards; (2). To improve the reliability and compatability of food research analysis methods; and (3). To provide  references on  new food,". 

On this occasion Deputy on  Food Safety and Hazardous Materials of BPOM RI (National Agency of Drug and Food Control), Dr.Roy Sparinga, informed the audiences on the food and drug control policies in Indonesia. Further, according to Dr. Roy, due to the limited authorities assigned to the BPOM, this Agency is unable to ban both the exportation as well as the importation of food products not suitable for consumption. The authorization is at both the Ministry of Trade and Industry Ministry. "The Management of integrated food control system in Indonesia is a challenge. How to ensure that all sectors of the food chain control their procedures effectively to prevent harmful microorganisms from contaminating food, "said Dr. Roy.

Chairman of SEAFAST Center, Prof. Dr. Purwiyatno Hariyadi informed the current status of  food safety on the  Indonesian export commodities to Europe. "The case of Indonesia’s export commodities that most widely rejected by European countries were fish and fishery products. The reasons for rejection, among other things, were:  heavy metals pollution, drug residues, biocontaminants of pathogens and microorganisms," said Prof. Dr. Purwiyatno. (Wied).