Deputy Head Nanik Sudaryati Deyang said the government took full responsibility for what she described as “food safety incidents.”
“From the bottom of my heart, I apologize on behalf of BGN and all public kitchens in Indonesia. As a mother, seeing children carried to health facilities is very saddening,” she told a press conference in Jakarta.
Deyang said 80 percent of the cases stemmed from failures to follow standard operating procedures by both partners and the agency’s own staff.
“The biggest mistake lies with us due to inadequate supervision. So, we admit our mistake,” she said.
Investigators found that food contamination was not the sole factor, with some children suffering allergic reactions and other conditions.
The agency has pledged to cover all medical costs for affected children and their parents.
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“We take full responsibility for all mistakes, including expenses for children and parents who may have eaten with them,” Deyang said.
She vowed that BGN would not tolerate further violations of food safety standards and called on the public to help monitor MBG kitchens nationwide.
From January to September 2025, BGN recorded 70 food safety incidents involving 5,914 recipients of the MBG program.
Tests identified several bacterial causes, including E. coli in water, rice, tofu, and chicken; staphylococcus aureus in tempeh and meatballs; salmonella in chicken, eggs, and vegetables; bacillus cereus in noodle dishes; and coliform, klebsiella, and proteus bacteria in contaminated water.
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Translator: Resinta Sulistiyandari
Editor: Rahmad Nasution
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