REPUBLIKA.CO.ID, JAKARTA — The National Nutrition Board (BGN) reported 70 cases of poisoning throughout January to September 2025. Of these, 5,914 recipients of the Free Nutritious Meal (MBG) program were affected.

Deputy Head of BGN, Nanik S. Deyang, during a press conference at BGN Office, Jakarta, Friday (26/9/2025), declared BGN fully responsible and promised to take care so that similar incidents do not happen again.

Of the 70 cases, nine cases with 1,307 victims were found in the I Sumatra region, including in Lebong Regency, Bengkulu, and Bandar Lampung City, Lampung. In region II of Java Island, there were 41 cases with 3,610 MBG recipients affected. Meanwhile, in region III, which includes Borneo, Sulawesi, Maluku, Papua, Bali, and Nusa Tenggara, 20 cases were recorded with 997 MBG recipients affected.

The main cause of poisoning stems from the content of a number of bacteria, among them Escherichia coli (E. coli) in water, rice, tofu, and chicken; Staphylococcus aureus in tempeh and meatballs; Salmonella in chicken, eggs, and vegetables; Bacillus cereus in the noodle menu; as well as Coliform, Proteus, Klebsiella, and PB from contaminated water.

“We admit to being wrong about what happened. These food safety incidents turned out not all to be caused by toxins, but also because of allergies and other factors,” Nanik said.

Nanik also expressed an apology for the incidents of poisoning experienced by children of MBG recipients.

“From my deepest heart, I apologize on behalf of BGN, on behalf of the entire SPPG (Nutrition Fulfillment Service Unit) in Indonesia. I apologize,” Nanik said.

He reiterated that BGN was committed to reform, including not tolerating the slightest violation of operational procedure standards (SOP).

“Frankly, we continue to work marathons to improve anything that needs to be fixed,” Nanik continued.

So far, investigations into kitchen-kitchens, including SPPG, have been carried out. As a result, 45 kitchens were found not to be carrying out SOP, and 40 of them had been closed for an unspecified period of time.

“As many as 40 of our kitchens declared closed until all investigations, both investigations and improvements to facilities and facilities, are completed,” Nanik said.

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