Recent reports indicate that nearly 2,000 individuals have experienced illness believed to be due to food poisoning associated with Indonesia’s Free Nutritious Meals program. This occurrence represents yet another challenge for the initiative, which has continued to expand despite ongoing issues with food safety and allegations of corruption.
The suspected food poisoning cases emerged between Tuesday and Thursday across several regions, including East Java, Central Java, West Sumatra, Aceh, and South Sulawesi. Affected individuals include approximately 1,950 students, educators, and pupils from Islamic boarding schools who became ill after consuming meals provided by the government initiative, referred to by its Indonesian abbreviation, MBG.
The most significant outbreak was reported in Central Java’s Rembang regency, where 752 students and 25 teachers from State Senior High School 1 Lasem experienced symptoms such as diarrhea, nausea, vomiting, and stomach pain after eating the meals. Rembang Health Office head Ali Syofi’i provided these details.
In East Java’s Sidoarjo district, another suspected food poisoning incident affected 730 individuals, primarily students from the Manbaul Hikam Islamic boarding school. According to Sidoarjo health office chief Lakhsmie Herawati Yuwantina, 706 of the affected individuals have since been discharged and are recovering at home.
Additionally, 276 suspected cases were reported among students and teachers in Agam regency, West Sumatra, leading to the suspension of food distribution by the local nutrition service center pending further investigation. In Bener Meriah regency, Aceh, 15 elementary school students and their principal were treated for dizziness and nausea after a school meal. Moreover, 152 students from two junior high schools in Tana Toraja, South Sulawesi, were hospitalized with symptoms indicative of food poisoning.
No fatalities have been reported in connection with these outbreaks, and authorities are currently conducting investigations to determine their causes.
This latest wave of food poisoning incidents adds to the troubling trend observed since the program’s inception in January 2025. Health ministry surveillance data as of September 2 shows that food poisoning cases linked to the MBG initiative have affected over 50,000 individuals across 560 cases in 245 districts and cities throughout 36 provinces.
During a hearing with the House’s Commission IX, which oversees health matters, National Nutrition Agency chief Sudaryono revealed that internal assessments indicated that 80 to 90 percent of previous food poisoning cases stemmed from failures to adhere to food safety protocols, including those related to food storage, ingredient procurement, temperature management, and consumption timelines. “The recent outbreaks in Sidoarjo, Agam, Rembang, and other regions have been a significant setback for us,” he stated.
In response, the agency is intensifying oversight of meal providers and reassessing around 27,000 meal distribution centers nationwide. Inspectors have uncovered numerous purportedly fictitious facilities, resulting in the closure of at least 833 kitchens that failed to comply with hygiene and sanitation standards.
In June, Dadan Hindayana, the former head of the program, was arrested by the Attorney General’s Office amid an investigation into alleged corruption linked to the initiative.
The Free Nutritious Meals program aims to address malnutrition and reduce childhood stunting by supplying meals to nearly 90 million students, young children, and pregnant women. With an anticipated cost of approximately $28 billion through 2029, the program is a key element of President Prabowo Subianto’s administration and represents one of his principal campaign pledges.
