Jakarta (ANTARA) - Indonesia’s government said on Sunday that food poisoning cases linked to its Free Nutritious Meal (MBG) program are not just statistics but a threat to the health of future generations, pledging tighter oversight after dozens of outbreaks.
“This is not about numbers. It is about the safety of our children,” Coordinating Minister for Food Affairs Zulkifli Hasan, known as Zulhas, told a press conference at the Health Ministry in Jakarta.
He said President Prabowo Subianto had ordered ministers to improve the program after returning from an overseas trip, stressing that children’s safety was the government’s top priority. The directive was followed up with a coordination meeting to address the food safety incidents in the MBG program, a flagship initiative aimed at providing nutritious meals to schoolchildren.
The meeting brought together senior officials including Home Minister Tito Karnavian, State Secretary Prasetyo Hadi, Health Minister Budi Gunadi Sadikin, and Women’s Empowerment and Child Protection Minister Arifah Fauzi.
Also present were National Nutrition Agency (BGN) head Dadan Hindayana, Food and Drug Monitoring Agency chief Taruna Ikrar, Government Communication Agency head Angga Raka Prabowo, Presidential Chief of Staff Muhammad Qodari, Deputy Education Minister Fajar Riza Ul Haq, and BGN Deputy Head Nanik S. Deyang.
Baca juga: RI Govt evaluating cooks following free meals food poisoning outbreak
“All measures are being taken transparently to reassure the public that meals served under MBG are safe and nutritious,” Zulhas said.
BGN reported on Friday that from January to September 2025, there were 70 food safety incidents, including poisonings, affecting 5,914 MBG recipients nationwide.
Baca juga: Menko Muhaimin memastikan pemerintah serius evaluasi program MBG
Of these, nine cases with 1,307 victims were recorded in Sumatra, including Bengkulu’s Lebong district and Bandar Lampung. Forty-one cases with 3,610 victims occurred in Java, while 20 cases with 997 victims were logged in Kalimantan, Sulawesi, Maluku, Papua, Bali and Nusa Tenggara.
Tests identified E. coli in water, rice, tofu and chicken; staphylococcus aureus in tempeh and meatballs; salmonella in chicken, eggs and vegetables; bacillus cereus in noodles; and coliform, klebsiella, proteus and other bacteria in contaminated water.
