RRI.CO.ID, Jakarta - Indonesia has uncovered tens of thousands of unsafe food products during intensified inspections ahead of the Ramadan fasting month. The agency’s cyber patrols also detected thousands of online listings selling illegal food items, authorities said.

The findings were announced by the Indonesian Food and Drug Authority (BPOM) on Wednesday, March 11, 2026, as part of nationwide monitoring conducted before the Eid al-Fitr holiday, when food consumption typically rises across the country. The agency carried out simultaneous inspections through its regional offices.

The Head of BPOM, Taruna Ikrar, conveyed that inspections conducted across 38 provinces found 56,027 food products that did not meet safety and regulatory standards. The majority of the violations involved products lacking official distribution permits and expired goods, which regulators warn could pose health risks if consumed. He said the inspections targeted the entire food supply chain, including importers, distributors, warehouses, and both traditional and modern retail outlets.

He said products that violated regulations would be removed from circulation and subject to administrative or legal sanctions.

“Products that do not meet the requirements are returned to the distributor and destroyed. Those that do not meet the requirements are subject to administrative sanctions such as warnings or revocation of distribution permits, followed by legal proceedings or prosecution if they are proven to have committed serious violations,” he stated.

Alongside physical inspections, BPOM also stepped up monitoring of online marketplaces through cyber patrols. Ikrar said that BPOM discovered 7,400 links across e-commerce platforms and digital media selling food products without official permits or containing prohibited substances. The agency has requested the removal of the listings and publicly disclosed brands found to be in violation as part of efforts to warn consumers and deter illegal sales.

The surge in online violations highlights the growing challenge regulators face as food sales increasingly move to digital platforms. BPOM said they will intensify monitoring and cooperate with e-commerce platforms to remove illegal products and prevent further distribution.

High consumer demand can also encourage the entry of products through unofficial channels. According to BPOM, illegal food products detected during inspections originated primarily from Malaysia, Singapore, China, and Thailand. The estimated economic value of the violations uncovered during the operation at more than Rp103 billion (around US$6.6 million).