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View all search resultsMUI confirms Chinese-made food trays for free meal program tainted with pork lard
BGN head Dadan Hindayana, stated that the majority of trays used in the program were produced locally using plant-based lubricants. However, he acknowledged that Indonesia still imports approximately 4 million trays per month, as domestic manufacturers are unable to meet the growing demand.
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A worker prepares meal packages for the free nutritious meal program on Feb. 12 in the kitchen of an Islamic boarding school in Kudus regency, Central Java. (Antara/Yusuf Nugroho)
T
he Indonesian Ulema Council (MUI) has confirmed reports that food trays imported from China for the government's flagship free nutritious meal program were tainted with pork lard, raising serious religious concerns in the Muslim-majority country.
The MUI’s head of fatwa, Asrorun Niam Sholeh, said the confirmation was made during a coordination meeting held at the MUI headquarters in Central Jakarta last week, attended by representatives from several government agencies and industry groups.
Among those present were officials from the National Nutrition Agency (BGN), Halal Certification Agency (BPJPH), the Food and Drug Monitoring Agency (BPOM) and the National Standardization Agency (BSN), as well as representatives from business associations, including the Indonesian Food Container Producers Association (APMAKI) and the Association of Kitchenware and Tableware Producers (ASPRADAM).
“It was confirmed during the meeting that reports of pork lard contamination in the imported trays used for the free meals program were valid. Some of the participants had directly observed the production process at a facility in China. The findings were also backed by written documentation,” Asrorun told The Jakarta Post on Tuesday.
Asrorun declined to specify which party confirmed the contamination or provide further details about the investigation.
[Calls grow to suspend free meal program after mass poisoning::/indonesia/2025/09/22/calls-grow-to-suspend-free-meal-program-after-mass-poisoning.html]
Asrorun stressed that while the MUI fully supported the government’s free meals initiative, authorities must ensure the halal status of every aspect of the program, including the food, utensils and supply chain.
