PENINGKATAN KESADARAN MASYARAKAT TERHADAP BAHAYA PANGAN BERFORMALIN DAN BORAKS MELALUI UJI SEDERHANA

RAISING PUBLIC AWARENESS OF THE DANGERS OF FOOD CONTAINING FORMALIN AND BORAX THROUGH SIMPLE TESTS

Abstract

Food safety is a crucial aspect in ensuring public health and national food security. In Serang City and its surrounding areas, several food safety violations have come under public scrutiny in recent years, particularly regarding the use of hazardous chemicals such as borax and formalin in ready-to-eat food products. Findings from the Serang Food and Drug Monitoring Agency (BBPOM) (2022–2024) showed that several processed food samples, including tofu, meatballs, and salted fish, tested positive for borax and formalin at levels exceeding the permitted threshold. This Community Service (PkM) activity aims to raise public awareness of the dangers of using formalin and borax in food, through outreach and simple testing methods. The activity was held at the Puri Anggrek Housing Complex, Serang City on June 20, 2025, with 15 housewives participating. The Community Service Program (PKM) was divided into two stages: socialization of the dangers of hazardous food additives and hands-on practice using the turmeric paper test and papaya sap test to distinguish foods containing borax and formaldehyde. The results of the activity showed that the majority of 87% of participants were able to explain again the characteristics of food containing formalin and borax, and 73% of participants were able to apply simple test techniques correctly.. The participatory and practice-based approach proved more effective in increasing participant understanding than one-way counseling. This activity aligns with efforts to prevent the consumption of hazardous foods, which are still widely found in the community. Therefore, educational activities such as this are highly relevant to be expanded to other regions as a preventive strategy against public health risks. This PkM also made a positive contribution to strengthening family-based food literacy.