BGN Emphasises Zero Tolerance for Free Nutritious Meal Poisoning, Monitoring is Key

The National Nutrition Agency (BGN) has affirmed its commitment to a zero-tolerance principle regarding poisoning cases in the Free Nutritious Meal (MBG) programme. This effort is deemed to require strengthened services, supervision, monitoring, and collaboration among all involved parties.

BGN Head Sudaryono stated that food safety is a non-negotiable core principle in the implementation of the MBG programme. He said that meeting the community’s nutritional needs must go hand in hand with ensuring the safety of the food consumed by beneficiaries.

“BGN continues to improve services, supervision, monitoring, and collaboration from all parties so that the programme runs well, with zero tolerance for poisoning cases,” Sudaryono said in an official statement confirmed in Jakarta on Tuesday, 11 August 2026.

Sudaryono emphasised that BGN is strengthening supervision of the MBG programme’s implementation as part of preventive measures against food safety risks. He noted that this supervision is not solely the responsibility of the programme organisers. Maintaining food safety requires the involvement of various elements directly connected to the MBG’s execution, including organisers, schools, teachers, students, and other related parties.

“God willing, we at BGN will continue to improve services, supervision, monitoring, and collaboration from all parties so that this programme runs well,” Sudaryono said. He assessed that food safety in the MBG programme must be maintained collectively. Thus, the implementation of the nutritional fulfilment programme does not only focus on the food provided to beneficiaries but also on ensuring that the food is safe for consumption.

BGN also reminded students to observe regulations when consuming MBG meals. One key point emphasised is ensuring that the food is consumed within the stipulated time limit. Compliance with these regulations is an important part of preventing unwanted food safety risks. Additionally, students are reminded not to take MBG food home to be consumed there. BGN considers that the condition and quality of the food cannot be guaranteed once it is outside the supervision of the programme organisers.