The Jakarta Post
Please Update your browser
Your browser is out of date, and may not be compatible with our website. A list of the most popular web browsers can be found below.
Just click on the icons to get to the download page.
Popular Reads
Top Results
No results found. Please check your search term and try again
Can't find what you're looking for?
View all search results
Popular Reads
Top Results
No results found. Please check your search term and try again
Can't find what you're looking for?
View all search resultsBGN suspends nearly 2,000 free meal kitchens after food poisoning outbreak
BGN suspended 1,999 kitchens across Indonesia because they did not register with the health ministry to undergo mandatory hygiene and sanitation certifications, agency chief Sudaryono said on Monday.
Change text size
Gift Premium Articles
to Anyone
Share the best of The Jakarta Post with friends, family, or colleagues. As a subscriber, you can gift 3 to 5 articles each month that anyone can read—no subscription needed!
Set as preferred source
Sudaryono, head of National Nutrition Agency (BGN), speaks to the press at the agency building in Jakarta, July 22, 2026. (Reuters/Ajeng Dinar Ulfiana)
T
he National Nutrition Agency (BGN) has temporarily closed nearly 2,000 kitchens for failing to register for hygiene checks, its chief said.
BGN suspended 1,999 kitchens across Indonesia because they did not register with the health ministry to undergo mandatory hygiene and sanitation certifications, agency chief Sudaryono said on Monday.
There are currently 27,022 kitchens distributing free meals across Indonesia as of September 7, he added.
"The hygiene and sanitation certification is a mandatory requirement for operating kitchens that provide the free meals program," said Sudaryono.
The agency will investigate these kitchens before deciding what further action will be taken, he said, adding that compliance with hygiene and sanitation standards was non-negotiable to ensure food quality and the safety of recipients of free meals.
Since its launch in January last year, President Prabowo Subianto's ambitious program has been marred by a series of problems, including allegations of corruption, leadership changes and massive food poisoning outbreaks.
Last week alone, more than 2,000 students and teachers in several provinces fell sick after consuming the free meals. The agency promised to handle the cases "seriously".
