The growth of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) in the food and beverage sector in Depok City is growing rapidly. According to data from the West Java Provincial Cooperatives and Small Business Service, the number of MSMEs in Depok City increased from 162,388 in 2016 to 219,238 in 2021. The growth of MSMEs was supported by the development of Depok City’s infrastructure and economy over the last three years. However, MSME players still encounter several problems, including a lack of quality and safety supervision of food and beverage products.
Based on concern for these problems, Universitas Indonesia (UI) Vocational Education Program carried out community service activities (pengmas) in the form of assistance and socialization of production process control for MSME actors in Cimpaeun Village, Tapos District, Depok City. Cimpaeun Village has a strategic location, namely around 4 kilometers from the Cimanggis Toll Gate and is equipped with various public facilities such as hospitals, mosques, golf clubs and housing. This means that the sub-district has quite a large number of MSMEs.
The community service team was led by a Lecturer of Tax Administration Study Program, Titin Fachriah Nur, S.E., M.M., Ak., CA., and consisted of Hadining Kusumastuti, S.Sos., M.Ak., CA.; Thesa Adi Purwanto, S.Sos., MTI.; Fitria Arianty, S.Sos., M.Si.; and Elsie Sylviana Kasim, S.Sos., M.Si. A total of 40 MSME players in the food and beverage sector attended community service activities held in September 2023 at the Persada Indoor GOR Depok.
Titin Fachriah Nur as head of the service team said that the socialization aimed to help MSMEs understand and apply the basic principles of good food production. MSME players were also equipped with knowledge regarding product safety control from upstream to downstream according to standards set by the Food and Drug Supervisory Agency (BPOM).
Assistance regarding the food and beverage production process was provided by lecturers and students of the UI Tax Administration study program in the form of WhatsApp groups and online meetings.
BPOM’s First Expert Pharmacy and Food Supervisor, Ayusya Dian Paramita, S.Farm., Apt, was also a resource person in this socialization. Dian said, “BPOM for Micro and Small Industries has provided information regarding various process controls in accordance with Good Food Production Methods for Home Industries (CPPB-IRT).
“These principles include standards for the production environment, Home Industries buildings and facilities, production equipment, water supply, sanitation facilities, pest control, food labels, as well as storage, accountability, withdrawal, recording and documentation of products, as well as training for employees.”
According to Dian, controlling the home industry food production process can be done in various ways, namely determining raw material specifications; determining the composition and formulation of ingredients; determination of standard production methods; determining the type, size and specifications of packaging; and determining complete information about the product that will be produced, including product name, production date, and expiration date.
It is hoped that these stages of controlling the food production process can be implemented by MSMEs in the Cimpaeun Village area who produce various types of snacks at the MSME level in the low and medium categories in accordance with Law no. 34 Year 2019 concerning Food Category Provisions and POM Agency Regulation no. 27 Year 2017 concerning Processed Food Registration for Distribution Permit Provisions.
One of the MSME actors of J-T Jeniper beverage products, Tari, said that the community service activities carried out by UI had provided many benefits to MSME actors. “This event is very suitable for us as MSMEs who still don’t understand how to control the food and beverage production process. I hope that the UI Vocational program can provide other outreach, such as material regarding food preservation methods,” said Tari.
Full support for these community service activities was also conveyed by the Director of UI Vocational Education Program, Padang Wicaksono, S.E., Ph.D. Padang said, “In fact, the knowledge possessed by academics is not only used by individuals, but must also be useful for the general public. Through this community service activity, UI Vocational program is present as a solution provider through its knowledge and industrial partners. In the future, we will continue to promote similar programs so that UI Vocational program can make an even wider contribution.”