BGN Deputy Head Nanik Sudaryati Deyang emphasized that her agency will not compromise with problems related to the safety of beneficiaries.
"This suspension is part of a thorough evaluation to prevent such incidents from recurring. The safety of the community, especially children, as the beneficiaries of MBG, is a main priority," she confirmed here on Tuesday.
Some of the kitchens that have been suspended include West Bandung's Cipongkor Cijambu SPPG, West Bandung's Cipongkor Neglasari SPPG, and West Bandung's Cihampelas Mekarmukti SPPG in West Java, and Banggai Islands' Tinangkung SPPG in Central Sulawesi.
Deyang said that the suspended kitchens are currently awaiting the results of laboratory tests conducted by the Food and Drug Supervisory Agency (BPOM).
She noted that the results will be a basis for deciding further measures, be it operational improvement, strengthening of supervision, or imposing sanctions.
"The BGN is fully committed to preventing such incidents from recurring. By strengthening supervision, we hope to maintain public trust in the MBG program," she remarked.
Earlier, President Prabowo Subianto instructed MBG kitchens to be equipped with test kits to test the food they produce before being distributed to the program's beneficiaries.
This is deemed essential as part of the standard operating procedure (SOP) to prevent food poisoning.
The MBG program was launched on January 6, 2025, with the aim of improving the nutritional status of children under five, pregnant women, breastfeeding mothers, and schoolchildren up to the high school level.
The program is targeted to reach 82.9 million beneficiaries across Indonesia, making it one of the largest programs implemented in the country.
In a press conference on Friday (September 26), the BGN, which is tasked with implementing MBG, reported that 70 food poisoning cases were recorded from January to September 2025, with 5,914 beneficiaries affected.
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Translator: Lintang Budiyanti, Raka Adji
Editor: Azis Kurmala
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