21 students poisoned by porridge

BOGOR (JP): At least 21 students of a state elementary school in Cipaku village suffered food poisoning after eating rotten green bean porridge on Saturday.

Bogor Mayoralty's spokesman Yus Herdiyus confirmed that the students vomited and suffered diarrhea after eating the porridge, a part of the school's additional food program for students.

"The program has been ongoing for three years, but this has been the only incident," Herdiyus said.

He said the porridge, regularly served every Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday, had been cooked by local housewives at about 4:30 a.m.

Packed in plastic bags for the school's 198 students, it was supposed to have been distributed at 10 a.m., but the 21 students took the porridge and ate it two hours earlier.

They complained of nausea and vomited before they were rushed to a nearby community health center.

Herdiyus said at least 14,689 elementary students were included in the additional food program.(21/jun)