Nearly 2,000 people, primarily students, experienced suspected food poisoning after consuming meals provided through Indonesia’s government-backed free nutrition program over the past week, officials said Saturday. The outbreaks, reported between Tuesday and Thursday, occurred across several provinces, intensifying scrutiny of the program’s food safety measures as the government expands the initiative nationwide.
The foodborne illness cases were documented in East Java, Central Java, West Sumatra, Aceh, and South Sulawesi, affecting approximately 1,950 individuals, including students, teachers, and Islamic boarding school pupils. The meals were distributed as part of the government's multi-billion-dollar program known as MBG, which aims to combat malnutrition and childhood stunting by delivering nutritious food to nearly 90 million people including students, toddlers, and pregnant women.
Central Java’s Rembang regency accounted for the largest outbreak, where 752 students and 25 teachers at State Senior High School 1 Lasem reported symptoms such as diarrhea, nausea, vomiting, and stomach pain after eating the program meals, according to Ali Syofi’i, head of the Rembang Health Office. In East Java’s Sidoarjo regency, 730 people—predominantly students from the Manbaul Hikam Islamic boarding school—fell ill. Lakshmie Herawati Yuwantina, head of the Sidoarjo Health Office, noted that 706 individuals had been discharged and were recuperating at home.
Additional cases were reported in West Sumatra’s Agam regency, where 276 students and teachers fell sick, prompting a temporary suspension of food distribution by the local nutrition service center while investigations continue. In Bener Meriah, Aceh, 15 elementary students and one principal were treated after experiencing dizziness, nausea, and other symptoms following school meals. South Sulawesi’s Tana Toraja saw 152 junior high school students hospitalized across three facilities due to suspected food poisoning, with Regent Zadrak Tombeq mobilizing health services to prioritize patient care.
No fatalities have been reported in connection with these recent outbreaks. Health authorities are conducting investigations to determine the precise causes. The events represent the latest setbacks for President Prabowo Subianto’s signature free meals program, which has faced repeated challenges including prior food poisoning incidents and corruption allegations since its inception in January 2025.
Health Ministry data released on September 2 shows that since the program began, food poisoning linked to MBG has affected more than 50,000 people in over 560 incidents across 245 districts in 36 provinces. Sudaryono, head of the national nutrition agency, told lawmakers during a recent House Commission IX hearing dedicated to health oversight that internal reviews attribute 80 to 90 percent of previous outbreaks to noncompliance with food safety protocols. These lapses included improper food storage, poor temperature control, mishandling of ingredients, and failure to adhere to consumption deadlines.
“We recognize the severity of the recent incidents in Sidoarjo, Agam, Rembang, and other regions,” Sudaryono said, adding that the agency is intensifying supervision of meal providers and conducting assessments of approximately 27,000 distribution centers nationwide. Inspections have already identified hundreds of facilities suspected of being fictitious, while at least 833 kitchens have been closed for failing to meet hygiene and sanitation standards.
The MBG program, estimated to cost around $28 billion through 2029, remains central to Prabowo’s administration and campaign pledges to improve national nutrition and reduce stunting. Authorities continue efforts to address safety concerns as the program proceeds with its nationwide rollout.