Jakarta: The Indonesian government is set to tighten food safety and protect public health by introducing mandatory sugar content labelling for food and beverages, and by creating a dedicated food safety task force, Coordinating Minister for Food Zulkifli Hasan said on Monday, Antara reported.
The announcement followed a meeting in Jakarta, which also marked the first discussion on implementing Government Regulation (PP) Number 1 of 2026 on Food Safety. Hasan highlighted growing health concerns, noting that many young Indonesians are now affected by diabetes and other non-communicable diseases.
To address these challenges, the government plans to form a cross-ministerial and inter-agency team tasked with developing a sugar content labelling framework. The initiative aims to raise public awareness about sugar consumption and help consumers make informed choices.
The meeting also agreed to establish a food safety task force at both central and regional levels. The task force will respond swiftly to food safety incidents, including contamination, residue cases, and other emergencies, and will include representatives from the National Police, the Ministry of Health, and the Food and Drug Monitoring Agency (BPOM).
Officials said the discussions also covered the governance of widely distributed processed foods, including ensuring compliance with halal and non-halal standards.
BPOM head Taruna Ikrar said the agency is working to harmonize regulations, including labelling and nutritional grading for sugar, salt, and fat content. He added that the rules will follow international standards such as Codex guidelines, as well as recommendations from the World Health Organization and the Food and Agriculture Organization, with adjustments to fit national conditions.
The government said the sugar labelling policy and food safety task force aim to strengthen consumer protection, increase public awareness, and clarify mechanisms for managing food safety. The new regulation, PP Number 1 of 2026, amends the earlier PP Number 86 of 2019 to improve monitoring, coordination, and responses to evolving food safety risks.
