ASEAN Urged to Strengthen Regional Food Safety Systems

RRI.CO.ID, Jakarta - Indonesia’s Food and Drug Monitoring Agency (BPOM) warned that a single food safety incident can quickly escalate into a public health crisis and disrupt trade without a coordinated emergency response system.

“Oversight mechanisms that rely solely on individual countries are no longer adequate to address these threats. ASEAN needs an integrated, rapid, science‑based food safety emergency response system that can operate effectively across borders,” BPOM Head Taruna Ikrar said at the opening of the ASEAN Food Safety Emergency Response (FSER) Tabletop Simulation Exercise in Jakarta on Tuesday, July 7, 2026.

The three‑day exercise brought together delegates, experts, facilitators, and representatives from ASEAN member states to assess the region’s readiness to handle transnational food safety emergencies.

Taruna noted that food safety challenges are increasingly complex as products move swiftly across borders while new risks continue to emerge. Delays in detecting hazards or exchanging information, he warned, can magnify the impact of an incident and trigger a regional crisis.

He cited World Health Organization estimates that one in ten people worldwide fall ill from unsafe food each year, with around 420,000 deaths. “Food safety is no longer merely the responsibility of regulators, but a strategic investment to protect public health, maintain food security, strengthen the economy, and sustain consumer confidence,” he said.

To strengthen regional preparedness, Taruna urged ASEAN to build four key foundations: rapid early detection, timely information exchange, science‑based risk assessment, and coordinated regional action.

He emphasized that preparedness must be established before a crisis occurs through robust systems, effective coordination, and regular simulation exercises.

Through the FSER simulation, ASEAN members will test emergency response mechanisms, validate coordination and decision‑making processes, identify gaps, and strengthen the system’s ability to operate in an integrated manner.

Taruna also encouraged member states to use the forum to reinforce regional solidarity. With a population of more than 700 million, he said, ASEAN requires a food safety system capable of bridging differences in national capacity.

He expressed optimism that the simulation would improve national preparedness and enhance regional coordination in building a more resilient food safety system.

BPOM also expressed appreciation to ASEAN Health Cluster 4, the ASEAN Secretariat, and all member countries for their continued efforts to strengthen regional preparedness since the ASEAN FSER initiative was launched in 2020. (Misni Parjiati)