BPOM orders withdrawal of Viostin, Enzyplek over pork content

BPOM - JAKARTA. The Food and Drug Monitoring Agency (BPOM) has ordered the producers of Viostin DS and Enzyplek food supplements to withdraw the products from the market because they contain pork derivatives.

“Based on a sampling of the products, we found that they tested positive for pig DNA,” the BPOM said on Wednesday.

According to the agency, PT Paros Indonesia had already started withdrawing Viostin DS from the market and promised to stop its production, while PT Mediafarma Laboratories had also started withdrawing Enzyplex.

The BPOM also instructed its representatives throughout the country to closely monitor the process to ensure products' complete withdrawal from the market.    

The BPOM's laboratory tested samplings from Viostin DS batch BN C6K994H, produced by PT Pharos Indonesia with distribution license NIE POM SD.051523771, and from Enzyplex batch 16185101, produced by PT Medifarma Laboratories with distribution license NIE DBL7214704016A1.

A Pharos staffer told tempo.co that the company was preparing a response to the BPOM’s measure, while Mediafarama staff declined to comment.

Meanwhile, the Indonesian Ulema Council (MUI) expressed concerns about the distribution of the products, which violated the rights of Muslim consumers.

The director of the MUI’s food, drug and cosmetics research institution (LPPOM MUI),  Lukmanul Hakim, called on the government to follow up on the BPOM’s findings.