October 3, 2025 | 10:57 am
TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Indonesia's Food and Drug Monitoring Agency (BPOM) reported that as of September 30, 2025, a total of 9,089 people had fallen victim to mass food poisoning incidents linked to the government’s free nutritious meal program, known as Makan Bergizi Gratis (MBG). The cases were spread across 83 regencies and cities in 28 provinces.
BPOM Head Taruna Ikrar explained that laboratory tests confirmed about 17 percent of the cases were caused by bacterial exposure, including Staphylococcus aureus, Bacillus cereus, and Salmonella sp.
He added that the remaining 83 percent of unconfirmed cases are also suspected to be linked to bacterial contamination, such as Escherichia coli and Clostridium perfringens, or chemical exposure, particularly histamine.
“This is certainly a learning moment. Our principle is clear: food is not safe if it is not secure,” Taruna said during a hearing with Commission IX of the House of Representatives at the Parliament Complex in Senayan, Jakarta, on Wednesday, October 1, 2025.
Taruna highlighted three major causes behind the poisoning incidents. The first is cross-contamination during food processing, whether from raw materials, the environment, or food handlers.
The second is the growth of bacteria due to mismatched temperature and storage conditions, with several MBG kitchens found to be storing and presenting meals improperly.
The third factor is a failure in food safety controls, ranging from hygiene and sanitation to temperature regulation, food handling, and oversight of raw materials.
BGN Reports Lower Food Poisoning Figures
Meanwhile, the National Nutrition Agency (BGN) presented a lower figure. According to its records, 6,517 MBG recipients suffered food poisoning between the program’s launch in January 2025 and September 30, 2025. The agency also noted a sharp increase in cases over the past two months.
BGN Head Dadan Hindayana said most cases occurred because MBG kitchens, officially known as Nutrition Fulfillment Service Units (SPPG), failed to comply with established standard operating procedures (SOPs).
“We observed that from January 6 to July 31, there were around 24 cases of digestive disorders. From August 1 to last night, however, that figure more than doubled to 51 cases,” Dadan explained.
He stressed that many kitchens were not following BGN’s guidelines. Some purchased raw materials four days in advance, even though they should be procured no more than two days prior to distribution. In other cases, kitchens began cooking food 12 hours before delivery, far exceeding the recommended six-hour window.
Editor’s Choice: Ministry: No Immediate Termination of MBG Despite Food Poisoning Emergency
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