Cabinet Secretary Teddy Indra Wijaya announced on Sunday that the directive was issued during a limited meeting held at President Prabowo’s private residence on Jalan Kertanegara, Jakarta, that evening.
“By next week, all MBG kitchens must be equipped with test kits to monitor food hygiene, hygienic washing and drying equipment with warm water, specialized tools to prevent bacterial contamination, and clean water filters,” Wijaya stated.
He added that the evaluation of the MBG program was among the key topics discussed during the meeting with the cabinet ministers.
The directive to improve hygiene standards in MBG kitchens follows a series of food poisoning incidents among program recipients.
According to BGN, as of September 26, a total of 70 food poisoning cases had affected 5,914 MBG recipients between January and September.
The incidents were primarily caused by bacterial contamination, including: E. coli found in water, rice, tofu, and chicken; Staphylococcus aureus in tempeh and meatballs; Salmonella in chicken, eggs, and vegetables; Bacillus cereus in noodles; Coliform, PB, Klebsiella, and Proteus in contaminated water.
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Translator: Resinta Sulistiyandari
Editor: Aditya Eko Sigit Wicaksono
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