The Indonesian National Police Food Task Force Held Field Reconstruction on PT Padi Indonesia Maju for Rice Adulteration Case

Serang, TF.com ||  The Indonesian National Police (INP) Food Task Force conducted a field reconstruction of rice production suspected of not meeting quality standards at PT Padi Indonesia Maju (PIM), Wilmar Integrated Industrial Estate, Kecamatan Kramatwatu Kota Serang, Banten. This activity was carried out to review the production process that was run by the company in adulterating the rice.

In his statement, Helfi Assegaf, the Head of INP Food Task Force, explained that the production process at PT Padi Indonesia Maju involves automated machines with a production capacity of approximately 300 tons of rice per day. These machines include a rice dryer, a rice huller, a rice smoother, a color separator, a whole and broken rice separator, and a packaging machine with an automatic scale.

"The production process takes approximately 20 hours, from raw materials to packaging, with strict supervision through an integrated control room and laboratory. On the other hand, Quality Control (QC) on sampling tests should be conducted every two hours to ensure product quality," said Helfi.

However, this oversight has not been optimal. The Task Force found that QC sampling tests were only conducted once or twice, far from the ideal frequency stipulated in the Standard Operating Procedures (SOP). As a result, the final product still contains residual rice grits, albeit in small amounts, which should be minimized.

"Even though production uses an automated system, 100 percent perfect results are difficult to guarantee. The discovery of residual rice grits is an important note and a challenge for management to immediately implement improvements to ensure the final product is truly clean and meets the premium rice label being promoted," Helfi emphasized.

Furthermore, the Task Force also highlighted the deliberate increase in the weight of rice packaging by 200 grams per 25 kg sack to avoid rejection by the automatic system in the packaging machine. This indicates the need for stricter oversight to ensure consumers receive products with the correct weight.

In addition, Helfi stated that of the 22 QC officers, only one has been certified. This situation places the responsibility on management to immediately conduct training and certification to maintain production quality.

This field reconstruction is also part of ongoing monitoring of all rice producers in Indonesia to maintain national food quality and safety.

(Jawir)