“We conclude that nitrite compounds were the cause. We detected excessively high nitrite levels in melon and lotek (vegetable salad with peanut sauce) samples collected from MBG meals at schools,” head of the team, Karimah Muhammad, said here on Friday.
Nitrite is a compound naturally found in soil and food. In small amounts, it can support blood circulation, but excessive levels are harmful and known to be carcinogenic.
Karimah said her team investigated the case by interviewing patients and medical staff at Cipongkor Health Center and Cililin Regional General Hospital, as well as examining reported symptoms.
The team also reviewed medicines administered to patients and analyzed microbiological and toxicological test results from the West Java Regional Health Laboratory, which tested samples from MBG kitchens and leftover school meals.
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Nitrite concentrations in the samples reached 3.91 and 3.54 mg/L. For comparison, the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) sets the safe limit for nitrite in drinking water at 1 mg/L, while Canada sets the limit at 3 mg/L.
Karimah explained that symptoms such as dizziness, fatigue, and shortness of breath were consistent with nitrite poisoning, including possible methemoglobinemia, a condition that reduces the blood’s ability to carry oxygen.
The team found no traces of harmful bacteria such as E. coli, Staphylococcus aureus, or Bacillus cereus, nor toxic substances such as cyanide, arsenic, heavy metals, or pesticides—only nitrite.
She emphasized that individual responses to nitrite poisoning vary, depending on each child’s health and detoxification capacity.
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Translator: Lintang, Kenzu
Editor: M Razi Rahman
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