Every time there is news of food products being withdrawn from the market, it creates a buzz for a day or two, then fades from conversation. What remains is a short question in the minds of consumers: how did it pass? The same question, with a more serious tone, is asked by BPOM, foreign importers, and even investors auditing potential suppliers.
The Indonesian food industry is growing under dual pressure. On one hand, there is the expansion of the domestic market with a middle class that is increasingly selective about labels and compositions. On the other hand, there are thickening domestic regulations and export doors that are tightly guarded by destination countries. Both converge on one thing: a food safety management system that can be proven, not just claimed.
Tighter Domestic Regulations
BPOM is no longer just a formalities gatekeeper for distribution permits. Since the implementation of PerBPOM No. 22 of 2018 and its revisions, pre-certification audits have become more detailed, with requests for procedural documents, equipment calibration records, and proof of personnel training on the production floor. The Ministry of Industry, through SPPT-SNI certification, adds another layer for products that must meet SNI standards. Law No. 18 of 2012 on Food makes traceability mandatory, not optional.
Business actors who still keep quality documents in thick binders that are rarely opened are usually shocked when auditors arrive. The system is there, the documents are there, but in practice, they do not connect with each other.
Export Market: Without HACCP or ISO 22000, Almost No Door Opens
For processed products to the European Union, Japan, or America, the first question from buyers is almost always the same: what certifications do you have? HACCP, designed by Codex Alimentarius since the late 1960s, is now a basic prerequisite. ISO 22000, which is more comprehensive and integrates HACCP with quality management systems, is usually required for strategic suppliers.
Data from the Ministry of Trade shows that Indonesia's processed food exports are still dominated by developing countries, partly because meeting food safety standards remains a barrier to entering premium markets. It is not about the quality of the products, but about the system that ensures that quality is consistent from batch to batch.
The Gap Between Standards on Paper and Practices on the Production Floor
Many industry players already have procedures in place. What is often lacking is daily implementation, especially regarding deviation recording. Critical Control Points are established, but operators are not taught why those points are critical. Internal verification becomes a formality, with signatures without field checks.
As a result, during external audits, gaps appear one by one. Freezer temperature data is missing for three consecutive days. Cleaning logs for the packaging area are not filled out for one shift. Allergen handling procedures are stored in computer files that field operators do not have access to. Senior practitioners in the food industry association often mention that the main problem is not technical, but a work culture that views documentation as an administrative burden.
Not Just a Certificate, But a Way of Thinking
HACCP and ISO 22000 only work when they become a mindset, not a checklist. An effective QA team does not wait for audits to tidy up documents. They read daily data and look for concerning trends long before they become incidents. They understand the difference between serious hazard analysis and mere formalities.
Global standards did not gradually arrive in Indonesia; they are already here. What differentiates the ready industries from those lagging behind is the willingness to treat food safety as a foundation, not a compliance burden.
Summary
- Domestic regulations (BPOM, SPPT-SNI, Food Law) are thickening, basic certifications are no longer sufficient
- Premium export markets practically close their doors to producers without HACCP or ISO 22000
- The main gap is usually in daily implementation, not in the existence of procedures
- The food safety system only becomes effective when it is a way of thinking, not a formal document
References:
- BPOM Indonesia – Regulation of BPOM No. 22 of 2018 on Guidelines for Issuing Certificates of Good Processed Food Production → pom.go.id
- Ministry of Industry – SPPT-SNI Certification for Processed Food Products → kemenperin.go.id
- Ministry of Trade – Statistical Data on Processed Food Exports → kemendag.go.id
- WHO/FAO Codex Alimentarius Commission – Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point (HACCP) System → fao.org
- International Organization for Standardization – ISO 22000:2018 Food Safety Management Systems → iso.org
- Government of the Republic of Indonesia – Law No. 18 of 2012 on Food → peraturan.bpk.go.id