BGN temporarily halts operations of four MBG kitchens in Bangkalan

Bangkalan (ANTARA) - The National Nutrition Agency (BGN) has temporarily halted the operations of four kitchens under the Free Nutritious Meals (MBG) programme in Bangkalan Regency, East Java, for various reasons.

“Besides lacking a Wastewater Treatment Installation (IPAL), there was also a case of poisoning,” said the Head of the MBG Task Force in Bangkalan, Bambang Mustika, in Bangkalan on Tuesday.

“The revocation of operational permits in Galis and Tanah Merah sub-districts is related to IPAL, while the one related to the poisoning case is in Blega sub-district,” he said.

Bambang explained that the poisoning incident in Blega sub-district occurred on 20 April 2026, affecting two students and a teacher at a state junior high school.

The incident began when a teacher tasked with tasting the food to assess its suitability experienced symptoms such as cold sweats and vomiting shortly afterwards.

Meanwhile, two students who consumed the MBG menu that morning also felt nauseous. The condition of one student even worsened, leading to both the student and the teacher being rushed to the nearest community health centre.

“The task force, along with BGN, immediately went to the field and conducted an investigation by laboratory testing the MBG menu consumed by the teacher and students,” he said.

The results, he continued, showed that the food indeed contained harmful substances, leading BGN to issue a recommendation for the cessation of operations.

“So, out of the four MBG kitchens temporarily closed, three are due to lacking IPAL, while one is due to the poisoning case,” he said.

The Free Nutritious Meals (MBG) programme in Bangkalan Regency targets 328,017 people, spread across 18 sub-districts, with 112 operational MBG kitchens out of 129 units in the area.