Day in The Mood

Boron, or in the name of science known as Sodium tetraborate decahydrate (Hartung, R., Et al., 2006), a preservative that is known to the public common wood preservative, antiseptic wood, and cockroach checker. Physical views form of boron is white crystal powder. Boron does not have a smell and does not dissolve in alcohol. Index of boron acid test with litmus paper is 9.5, indicating the level of acidity is high enough. (SMK PI-M, 2008)

Explanation of the characteristics of physical and chemical nature of boron that has been known, it is not possible boron used for the purposes of people, particularly on the impact on human health. Ironically boron have become a common practice in Indonesia spread wide as the main component in food. The problem is the food manufacturers have considered this as a boron material for the cheap food preservative (Official Site Coordinating Ministry for People's Welfare, 2006). Effect of boron can be given to improve the food structure and texture of food. As an example when given the boron meatball, will make a meatball is very elastic and durable, while the crackers containing boron expands when fried and soft and have a good texture and intricate. The use of boron have also been given to the general wet noodles, lontong, Ketupat, and soy sauce used in the community in general (SMK PI-M, 2008). Unfortunately, food that has been given with the boron or not is still very difficult to be differentiated, can not be only with the normal senses, but the test should be conducted in a special laboratory of boron. (Gsianturi, 2005)

Negative effects from the use of boron in the utilization of one life can impact on the very poor on human health. Boron has a toxic effect on the system that dangerous human metabolism, as well as additional oxygen-food substances that damage human health. (National Portal of the Republic of Indonesia, 2006)

Toxification mechanism of boron have been known different with mechanisms of formalin in food that when consumed will give direct effect on human health, but the nature of boron have a different health destroyer. Boron is consumed by man, and then absorbed by intestinal, to further continue to be stored cumulatively in heart, brain, kidney, testis, or even, to a dose of toxin from the boron in the higher body (Gsianturi, 2005). At normal doses below the maximum threshold limit, the negative effects of boron toxicity on human can still be tolerated as a decreased appetite, digestive system disturbances, respiratory disturbances interference mild central nervous system as well as easily confused, anemia, and hair-fall. But when the dose of toxin has been reached or even exceeded the maximum limit will lead to a fatal impact, ranging from vomiting, diarrhea, shortness of breath (Garabrant, Et al., 1985), stomach cramps and stomach aches the top (epigastrik), nausea, weakness, bleeding gastroentritis accompanied by vomiting blood and a great headache. (National Portal of the Republic of Indonesia, 2006)

For infants and small children if the dose of boron toxin in the body for more than 5 grams will cause death. In the adult, if reached 10-20 grams or even more will culminate in the death. (Gsianturi, 2005)

Boron is very dangerous for human health, especially the nature of how toxification is not visible and influential at the beginning of the consumption of food, but over time if the use of boron for food consumption and forwarded this is adapted, the toxic will continue to accumulate and very bad impact on human health ( Gsianturi, 2005). To that should be more cooperation between government, producers, and consumers to eliminate all use of boron as additive and food preservative. The Government should be more strictly prohibit the spreading in food consumption that is not feasible, producers should better understand the dangers and losses of the artificial preservative, and consumers should more carefully choose food that is feasible and safe for their consumption to the future to achieve the life of the nation through the establishment of a healthy human.