Pengujian Cemaran Boraks dan Formalin pada Sampel Makanan di Pasar Tradisional Yogyakarta

Summary

This educational video demonstrates the testing process for harmful chemicals like borax and formalin in food products. Conducted by the Faculty of Public Health, Yogyakarta, the video highlights the importance of food safety by showing step-by-step testing procedures on samples such as tofu, meatballs, and fish. Using simple lab equipment and commercially available test kits, the tests help identify dangerous substances that could pose health risks. The video concludes by emphasizing the need for consumers to be cautious when selecting food, ensuring safety for themselves and their families.

Takeaways

• 😀 In mid-2019, a market inspection in Yogyakarta discovered hazardous substances like borax and formalin in food products such as tofu, meatballs, and wet noodles.
• 😀 The goal of the video is to educate the public on how to detect borax and formalin in food to avoid consuming unsafe products.
• 😀 The video demonstrates simple and effective laboratory tests to check for borax and formalin using basic equipment like a balance, mortar, and test kits.
• 😀 To test for formalin, a small sample of food is mixed with a reagent. A purple color indicates the presence of formalin in the food.
• 😀 Borax testing involves using turmeric paper as an indicator. If the paper changes color from yellow to orange or red, borax is present in the sample.
• 😀 Formalin is primarily detected by the formation of a purple color in the reaction, indicating that formalin is present in the food sample.
• 😀 Borax testing requires the sample to be ground and mixed with a reagent, followed by the addition of turmeric paper, which changes color in the presence of borax.
• 😀 In the demonstration, tofu samples tested positive for formalin, but no samples tested positive for borax.
• 😀 A total of 22 borax samples and 27 formalin samples were tested, and all borax samples came back negative, while 23 out of 27 formalin samples were positive.
• 😀 The key takeaway is that while borax was not detected in the tested food, formalin was found in some products, particularly tofu, making it unsafe for consumption.

Q & A

What was the purpose of the inspection carried out by the Food and Drug Supervision Agency in Yogyakarta in 2019?

The inspection aimed to identify food products containing hazardous chemicals like borax and formalin, as some producers were found repeatedly using these prohibited substances despite previous enforcement actions.

What are the potential dangers of consuming food products contaminated with borax and formalin?

Both borax and formalin are harmful chemicals. Borax can cause poisoning and organ damage, while formalin is a carcinogen and can lead to severe health issues such as cancer, organ damage, and poisoning.

Which food samples were tested for borax and formalin in the demonstration?

The food samples tested for borax and formalin included tahu (tofu), bakso (meatball), mie basah (wet noodles), and ikan asin (salted fish).

How are borax and formalin detected in food samples during the inspection?

For formalin, a formalin test kit is used, which changes color if formalin is present. For borax, a borax reagent kit and turmeric paper are used. The turmeric paper changes color to orange or red if borax is present in the sample.

What does the appearance of a purple color indicate when testing for formalin?

The appearance of a purple color during the formalin test indicates the presence of formalin in the food sample.

How is the test for borax conducted, and what does the color change on turmeric paper indicate?

To test for borax, the sample is crushed, mixed with water, and treated with borax reagent. If borax is present, the turmeric paper, which is placed in the mixture, changes color from yellow to orange or red, indicating contamination with borax.

How long should the reaction time be when testing for formalin?

The reaction for formalin should be observed for 3-5 minutes after adding the reagents to the sample.

What did the test results show for borax in the samples?

The test results showed that none of the 22 samples tested for borax contained the chemical, indicating that the samples were safe from borax contamination.

What were the findings for formalin in the samples tested?

Out of the 27 samples tested for formalin, 23 samples were found to contain formalin, making them unsafe for consumption.

What conclusion can be drawn from the inspection regarding food safety in Yogyakarta?

The inspection highlighted that while none of the tested food samples contained borax, a significant number of samples contained formalin, indicating the need for caution when selecting food products to avoid health risks from formalin contamination.