IPB University Professor Clarifies Issues Circulating in California Regarding Indonesian Cooking Spices Being a Cancer Risk

Issues circulating in California, United States, regarding Indonesian cooking spices being a cancer risk are not entirely accurate. This emphatic statement was made by IPB University Professor of Food Science and Technology, Prof Nuri Andarwulan. 

“Indonesian food products that are already circulating in the United States have certainly passed the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) inspection and meet their food safety standards,” she said.

This means, she continued, that these products have met the quality and safety standards that apply nationally in the United States. “It is impossible for products circulating in the United States to be illegal products,” she said. 

She mentioned that this issue stems from unclear information regarding the type of cooking spice in question. “All the news reports only mention ‘cooking spice’ without explaining the brand, type, or additional food ingredients,” she explained.

However, California has specific regulations that differ from other states, namely Proposition 65 (Prop 65). This regulation requires labeling on products, both food and non-food, that contain potentially carcinogenic compounds. 

“Even coffee at Starbucks in California is labeled ‘may cause cancer’ because it contains acrylamide from the roasting process,” explained Prof Nuri.

She emphasized that this issue does not have a significant impact on the reputation or export of Indonesian spices. According to her, the export opportunities for Indonesian spice products are still wide open.

 “Our products comply with the international regulations of the Codex Alimentarius Commission and the rules of the export destination countries. So there is no need to worry,” she said.

She believes that the issue went viral on social media mainly due to incomplete reporting by a number of influencers and content creators. 

The main challenge lies in meeting domestic demand and post-harvest readiness. “We often experience a shortage of raw materials, such as chili and tomato powder. During the harvest season, the produce is wasted because the post-harvest technology is not ready,” she said.

Prof Nuri urged the public to be more critical in responding to food-related information. “Don’t let incomplete information create a negative perception of Indonesian products, which are actually safe and highly competitive in the global market,” she concluded. (dr) (IAAS/FMT)