TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - The Food Processing Journal from the Faculty of Agriculture, Alkhairaat University, Palu, published a study three years ago on the nutritional content of shredded Suckermouth Catfish (Common Pleco) from the Ciliwung River, Jakarta. This study recently sparked discussion because the processed suckermouth catfish meat was said to have above-average protein content.
This research was conducted by Haninah, Handhini Dwi Putri, Dewi Elfidasari, and Irawan Sugoro from the Biology Study Program, Faculty of Science and Technology, Al Azhar University Indonesia, and the Center for Isotope and Radiation Applications (PAIR), National Nuclear Technology Agency (BATAN). According to this study, the protein content of suckermouth catfish floss exceeds SNI 7690.1:2013, which requires a minimum protein content of 30 percent for floss products.
As is known, suckermouth catfish are known as 'cleaner fish' due to their ability to eat algae and food waste. As a result, excessive consumption of this fish, especially from polluted areas, poses a significant health risk.
Dicky Budiman, a public health and food expert from Griffith University Australia, stated that suckermouth catfish is one of the types of food not recommended for consumption in Australia. This is due to the fish's ability to survive heavy metal contamination in its environment.
"The characteristics of suckermouth catfish have long been proven. They are bottom feeders, fish that feed on sediment and organic matter at the bottom of rivers. The accumulation of contaminants is dangerous if they enter the human body," said Dicky when contacted on Wednesday, January 28, 2026. "This means that this fish is not recommended for consumption, especially from polluted waters."
Although unsafe for consumption, Dicky did not deny the results of the research published in the Food Processing Journal. According to him, the research explains the protein content of processed suckermouth catfish meat that is turned into shredded fish. Indeed, Dicky said, the nutritional content will be the same as nutritional standards, and this is normal because fish is a potential source of animal protein.
"However, even though macronutrients show good nutritional potential or are equivalent to other ingredients, this is only looking at the perspective of protein or food function alone. Nutritional content does not necessarily mean it is safe, because food safety aspects must consider heavy metal contaminants," said Dicky.
Similarly, the Head of the Jakarta Maritime Affairs and Agriculture Agency (KPKP), Hasudungan A. Sidabalok, also assessed that suckermouth catfish living in polluted waters like the Ciliwung River are unfit for consumption due to their heavy metal content. He said that wild-caught fish obtained from polluted rivers usually do not undergo quality control and safety systems, so the nutritional quality of the suckermouth catfish in the Ciliwung River cannot be guaranteed.
Furthermore, Hasudungan said, fish living in polluted waters have the potential to carry pathogenic bacteria or parasites that cause digestive disorders. "Seeing that Jakarta's rivers are polluted by industrial waste, wild fish caught in Jakarta's waters are unfit for consumption," he said.
He also urged people who regularly consume fish to avoid fish from polluted rivers. According to him, there is no guarantee of the nutritional safety and quality of fish grown in these polluted waters, especially given the high risk of fish contamination with heavy metals.
Read: Heavy Metal Contamination Shadows Obi Fish Exports
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