Ministry of Hajj: Hajj Kitchen Standards in Mecca Meet Quality Requirements with Indonesian Flavours

Jakarta (ANTARA) - The Ministry of Hajj and Umrah (Kemenhaj) has confirmed that the kitchen facilities providing meals for Indonesian hajj pilgrims in the Safwat Al Wessam area, Walyal Ahd District, Mecca, Saudi Arabia, meet quality and hygiene standards whilst delivering authentic Indonesian flavours.

Minister of Hajj and Umrah Moch Irfan Yusuf said in a statement received in Jakarta on Sunday that to ensure catering services run optimally and hygienically, direct supervision and inspections of active kitchens were carried out by Kemenhaj’s senior leadership.

“Hygiene is the primary focus of this supervision. All food storage areas have been confirmed to be clean and hygienic, meeting food safety standards. Inspections were conducted comprehensively, from the kitchen area and cooking processes through to the packaging stage,” he said.

According to the minister, the hajj catering provider will use authentic Indonesian cooking spices, including rice. The policy was adopted to maintain consistency of flavour and ensure pilgrims can enjoy meals with the familiar taste of home.

“The government has also requested that Indonesian rice be prepared according to the standards typically applied in Indonesia, so that the quality of texture and taste of the rice is maintained,” he said.

Through this direct oversight, Kemenhaj is working to keep Indonesian hajj catering service standards professional and oriented towards pilgrim comfort during their worship in the Holy Land.

On this matter, Irfan emphasised that meeting consumption needs in accordance with pilgrim numbers, both in terms of production capacity and distribution accuracy, is also a key concern raised by the government to the catering provider in Mecca.