BGN Permanently Closes 504 Free Nutritious Meal Kitchens Over Sanitation Concerns

The National Nutrition Agency (BGN) has permanently closed 504 kitchens for the Free Nutritious Meal (MBG) programme as of 10 August 2026, as part of its commitment to tightening food safety standards in the national priority programme.

Hundreds of Nutrition Service Units (SPPG) were permanently shut after being declared unfit in terms of sanitation, based on reports from regional health offices submitted through the Ministry of Health.

“There are 504 kitchens that we have permanently closed because they were declared unfit in terms of sanitation,” said BGN Head Sudaryono, known as Mas Dar, during a Special Coordination Meeting with the Minister of Home Affairs and regional heads across Indonesia in Jakarta on Thursday.

Mas Dar said that in addition to the 504 kitchens already closed, around 3,000 other kitchens are still undergoing inspection by health offices in their respective regions.

He stressed, however, that accelerating the inspection process must not be done by ignoring established standards. Food safety in the MBG programme is directly linked to the safety of beneficiaries, particularly children.

“The remaining around 3,000 have registered and are now being checked by their respective regional health offices. We are waiting. If they are not fit, then I apologise, but this is a matter of someone’s life, the lives of our children. We cannot compromise on that,” he said.

He added that BGN appreciates regional governments that have assisted in monitoring and handling MBG food safety issues. He also affirmed that BGN applies a zero-tolerance principle towards poisoning cases in the programme’s implementation.

“We express our appreciation and gratitude from BGN. In essence, we also want to emphasise that our aim is zero tolerance towards any future poisoning cases,” he said.