IDENTIFIKASI KANDUNGAN FORMALIN DAN BORAKS DALAM JAJANAN FROZEN-FOOD DI AREA SD-TK MUHAMMADIYAH KOTA YOGYAKARTA

Abstract

Background: Frozen food product, including sausages and tempura, has been identified as a popular snack among school-age children. However, these products are vulnerable to the misuse of non-food additives, such as formalin and borax which have can cause several health problems, particularly among school-aged children, who classified as vulnerable age group. Objective: The purpose of this study was to identify the presence of formalin and borax in frozen food product offered for sale around Muhammadiyah Elementary and Kindergarten schools in Yogyakarta. This study used a descriptive observational design, with a quantitative approach. A random sampling technique was utilized to select the tempura and sausage samples, which were obtained from a total of 10 district within the city of Yogyakarta. The samples were analyzed qualitatively using a test kit (Fast Test) to identify the formalin and borax content.  Results: Among the 34 samples analyzed, 32 samples (94.12%) tested positive for formalin, whereas none were found to contain borax. The positive samples comprised 12 sausage products and 20 tempura products. These results indicate that the presence of formaldehyde remains prevalent in frozen snack food samples. Conclusion: High level of detection rate of formalin indicates a potential food safety risk in school snacks.