EDUKASI DAN PEMERIKSAAN ZAT ADITIF PADA MAKANAN

Abstract

Abstract

In general, hazardous chemicals in the form of formaldehyde are still found and used by manufacturers as food preservatives. Even though these chemicals are prohibited from being used because they are dangerous and toxic which have a negative impact on health. For this reason, educational activities are needed in growing awareness and preparedness for these hazardous potentials and methods for examining dangerous additives in food. This educational activity is an activity of providing information and introducing methods and test equipment in identifying the content of hazardous substances in snacks/food. Participants' understanding of additives and hazardous chemicals, especially formaldehyde, was carried out by answering questionnaires before and after the educational activities. To identify the hazardous chemical content, namely formalin, a formalin test kit is used. The food samples tested were 7 samples. The results of educational activities show that (1) participants' initial knowledge with an average score of 64.09 and participants' understanding with an average score of 87.73. Participants' understanding of the training material achieved an increase of 23.64. (2) the test results of 7 positive food samples indicated containing the harmful additive formalin were 1 food sample and 6 samples were negative for formalin.

Keywords: Education, Additives, Formalin, Meal

Abstrak

Secara umum, bahan kimia berbahaya berupa formalin masih ditemukan dan digunakan oleh produsen sebagai bahan pengawet makanan. Padahal zat kimia tersebut dilarang penggunaannya karena sifatnya berbahaya dan beracun yang berdampak negatif terhadap kesehatan. Untuk itu diperlukan kegiatan edukasi dalam penumbuhan keinsafan dan kesiapsiagaan terhadap daya bahaya tersebut dan metode pemeriksaan zat aditif berbahaya dalam makanan. Kegiatan edukasi ini merupakan aktivitas pemberian informasi dan pengenalan metode dan alat uji dalam mengindentifikasi kandungan bahan berbahaya dalam jajanan/makanan. Pemahaman peserta kegiatan edukasi zat aditif dan bahan kimia berbahaya khususnya formalin dilakukan dengan menjawab kuesioner sebelum dan setelah kegiatan edukasi. Untuk mengidentifikasi kandungan kimia berbahaya yaitu formalin dilakukan dengan test kit formalin. Sampel makanan yang diuji sebanyak 7 sampel. Hasil kegiatan edukasi menunjukkan bahwa (1) Pengetahuan awal peserta dengan nilai rata-rata 64,09 dan pemahaman peserta dengan nilai rata-rata 87,73. Pemahaman peserta terhadap materi pelatihan mencapai peningkatan 23,64. (2) hasil uji 7 sampel makanan yang positif terindikasi mengandung zat aditif berbahaya formalin ada 1 sampel makanan dan negatif formalin ada 6 sampel.

Kata kunci: Edukasi, Zat Aditif, Formalin, Makanan