“We will accelerate the process so that all SPPGs meet the required standards, both in personnel and food preparation,” Health Minister Budi Gunadi Sadikin announced on Sunday, following a coordination meeting on recent food poisoning incidents linked to the MBG program.
Coordinating Minister for Food Affairs Zulkifli Hasan, who chaired the meeting, confirmed that SLHS certification will become a mandatory requirement for all SPPGs moving forward.
Sadikin explained that the government, in coordination with the National Nutrition Agency (BGN), has agreed to strengthen oversight throughout the entire school meal preparation process—from ingredient selection and cooking methods to food presentation.
“Together with BGN, we will monitor every stage of meal preparation to prevent further incidents,” he said.
Earlier in the meeting, Minister Hasan announced that MBG kitchens requiring evaluation had been suspended following food poisoning cases reported in several regions.
“The affected SPPGs are closed while evaluations and investigations are underway,” Hasan said.
The assessments will focus on hygiene discipline, food quality, and the competence of kitchen staff. Hasan emphasized that all SPPGs—not just those linked to recent cases—will be subject to review.
He also instructed SPPGs to sterilize all eating utensils and improve sanitation procedures, including water quality management and waste disposal systems.
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Translator: Tri, Kenzu
Editor: Aditya Eko Sigit Wicaksono
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