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View all search resultsNearly 2,000 students suffer food poisoning from free meals this year
National Nutrition Agency (BGN) head Dadan Hindayana has apologized for recent food poisoning cases linked to the government’s free nutritious meals program, saying operations at all involved SPPGs have been suspended pending investigation.
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Students suffering from mass food poisoning after consuming free nutritious meal program lunches receive treatment on Oct. 15, 2025, at a health post established at the SMPN 1 Cisarua state junior high school in West Bandung regency, West Java. Hundreds of students and teachers from Cisarua district in the regency suffered from food poisoning after eating the free meals disbursed under President Prabowo Subianto's flagship initiative. (Antara/Raisan Al Farisi)
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early 2,000 students have suffered food poisoning from the free nutritious meal program this year, despite its zero-incident goal, sparking doubts over the government’s commitment to food safety in the ambitious program.
The latest outbreak occurred on Jan. 30 in Muaro Jambi Regency, Jambi, where about 145 students, from kindergarten to high school, fell sick after eating soto (traditional Indonesian soup) provided by a local Nutrition Fulfillment Service Unit (SPPG). Nearly 100 required hospitalizations, and two remained under treatment as of Tuesday.
A day earlier, 134 students in West Manggarai Regency, East Nusa Tenggara (NTT), reported symptoms of food poisoning after consuming stir-fried chayote, bok choy, bean sprouts and boiled eggs provided by the government. Some students said the vegetables smelled off and appeared spoiled.
On Jan. 28, roughly 540 students and teachers at a high school in Kudus, Central Java, suffered diarrhea, nausea and dizziness after eating meals of soto, rice and fried tempeh under the free meal program. Forty-six students were hospitalized.
Dadan Hindayana, head of the National Nutrition Agency (BGN), has apologized for recent food poisoning cases linked to the government’s free meals program, saying operations at all involved SPPGs have been suspended pending investigation.
“I apologize to the beneficiaries who experienced this unpleasant incident. We have conducted investigations and analyses of the SPPG involved,” Dadan said on Monday as quoted by Kompas.com.
Read also: Bacteria found in MBG meals causing mass food poisoning in North Sumatra
