BGN strengthens hygiene and food safety standards for the MBG program through technical guidance

Malang, East Java (ANTARA) – The National Nutrition Agency (Badan Gizi Nasional, BGN) is strengthening hygiene and food safety standards in the implementation of the free nutritious meals program (MBG) by organising technical guidance on ‘Food Handlers and Acceleration of Laik Higiene Sanitasi (SLHS) Certification’. ‘This technical guidance is a strategic step to ensure the quality of the national nutrition service through increasing knowledge and skills of the food handlers,’ said Sony Sonjaya, Deputy Head of BGN for Operational Nutrition Fulfillment, in Malang, East Java, on Sunday. The technical guidance was held on 7–8 March 2026, with 500 participants per day. Participants are operational elements of the Service and Delivery of Nutrition (SPPG), such as the head of SPPG, partners or managing foundations, nutrition supervisors, field assistants, and cooks directly involved in food processing. ‘Nutritious food is a right for all Indonesian children, so the quality of food provision must be a shared concern,’ he said. ‘The involvement of the public has grown massively and more broadly.’ As of now, there are 25,000 SPPG or kitchens established across various regions. At the same opportunity, Deputy for Distribution and Provision Region II of BGN, Suardi Samiran, explained that food quality refers not only to the selection of raw ingredients but also to other processes that must operate in accordance with food safety standards. ‘Not only that, but also the handling, storage, and presentation of meals,’ he said. SLHS is a form of commitment by the programme organisers to provide safe and hygienic food. Meanwhile, Nurjaeni, Director of Provision and Distribution for Region II of BGN, said the technical guidance marks the beginning of ongoing mentoring. ‘This is the initial step in building a mentoring mechanism so that hygiene and sanitation standards are applied consistently in SPPG kitchens,’ she stated. Following the completion of the technical guidance, it is hoped that managers of SPPG will be able to understand food safety standards more comprehensively. Collaboration between the central government, regional governments, health workers, and kitchen managers is also emphasised as a key to ensuring that the food served to the public is truly safe, healthy, and meets nutritional standards.