The National Nutrition Agency (BGN) is tightening food safety\noversight in the implementation of the Free Nutritious Meal (MBG)\nProgramme in schools. Starting this week, every MBG food container will\nbe required to display a consumption time limit.<\/p>\n
BGN Head Sudaryono stated that displaying the time limit is crucial\nso that teachers and students know when the food is still safe to\nconsume. \u201cWe will enforce the obligation to write on every container a\nsign or a warning that it \u2018must be consumed\u2019 or \u2018must be eaten before a\ncertain time\u2019. So the role of teachers is very important here,\u201d\nSudaryono said in a statement on Monday (10\/8\/2026).<\/p>\n
Sudaryono stressed that food must not be consumed after the time\nlimit stated on the container has passed. This rule applies to both\nstudents and teachers. \u201cIf the time on the container has exceeded the\nstated hour, we request that it not be consumed. Teachers must not\nconsume it, and especially the students must not consume it once it has\npassed the designated time limit,\u201d he asserted.<\/p>\n
According to him, MBG meals are fresh food that do not use\npreservatives, hence they have a safe consumption window. Generally, the\nfood must be consumed within a maximum of four hours after cooking.\n\u201cBecause according to the normal standards of food serving, after\ncooking it must be eaten within a maximum of 4 hours as this food\ncontains no preservatives. It is truly cooked without ultra-processed\nfood, so it is genuinely fresh and has a window where it is safe to\nconsume,\u201d he explained.<\/p>\n
In line with this regulation, the BGN is also requesting that MBG\nmeals not be taken home by students. Food received at school must be\nconsumed on the premises within the designated time. \u201cWe ask, in\naccordance with the technical guidelines, that the meals should not be\ntaken home. Ensure the food is eaten there, consumed in the classroom at\nthe permitted time, and preferably not taken home,\u201d Sudaryono\nstressed.<\/p>\n
He noted that food taken home risks being stored for too long before\nbeing consumed again. According to him, this practice has even been a\nfactor in several cases of MBG food poisoning, including incidents\ninvolving parents who consumed food brought home by students. \u201cI\nunderstand this very well. Recently, at a primary school in Bogor that I\nvisited, a student split their meal in two, saying they remembered their\nmother at home. This has become a poisoning case in several locations.\nIn fact, it was not only the students who suffered poisoning, but also\nthe parents at home who ate the food that was brought home,\u201d he\nsaid.<\/p>\n
Beyond tightening consumption rules, the BGN is also improving the\nfood production monitoring system across all Nutritional Fulfilment\nService Units (SPPG). Currently, there are 27,489 operational SPPGs\nrequired to use a production monitoring system. The system records the\nentire process, from ingredient preparation, cooking, finished meals,\npackaging, to delivery to schools. This allows the time from food\nproduction to serving to students to be monitored.<\/p>\n
The BGN is also placing a responsible officer or PIC in every school.\nThe PIC comes from the educational staff, such as administrative\npersonnel, and is tasked with receiving and inspecting the food before\nit is given to students. Inspections are carried out organoleptically by\nlooking, smelling, and tasting food samples. If the food is deemed not\nto meet standards, it must be withheld and not given to students. \u201cThe\nPIC performs an organoleptic mechanism, which is to open, take a sample,\nsmell, taste, and look at it. If it does not meet the standard, it is\nmandatory not to give it to the students. So the PIC is the last second\nlayer that ensures whether the menu is safe or not,\u201d he concluded.<\/p>", "url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/national-nutrition-agency-mandates-expiry-labels-on-free-nutritious-meal-containers-1786344710", "image": "" }, "sponsor": "Okusi Associates", "sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com" }