<![CDATA[Food safety remains a critical public health issue in Indonesia, particularly due to the misuse of hazardous chemicals such as formalin and borax in food products. Traditional market vendors play an important role in the food distribution chain. However, their understanding of the risks of these substances is still limited. This community service activity aimed to improve vendors’ knowledge of the health risks of formalin and borax in food. The activity was conducted in July 2024 at Portal Rawa Buaya Market, West Jakarta, involving 25 traditional market vendors. The methods included educational sessions through lectures, interactive discussions, distribution of educational leaflets, and evaluation using pre-test and post-test questionnaires. The results showed an increase in participants’ knowledge after the education session. Before the activity, 60% of respondents did not know about the presence and risks of formalin and borax in food. After the activity, 84% of participants stated that they understood the health risks of these substances. In addition, 80% of participants stated that they became more cautious in selecting, buying, and selling food products after the activity. The use of leaflet media and direct education helped improve participants’ knowledge. In conclusion, this community education activity can serve as an educational strategy to increase awareness and support efforts to prevent the use of hazardous chemicals in food among traditional market vendors. ]]>
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