Ministry of Health emphasises 4-hour limit to prevent bacterial contamination in kitchen nutrition
Jakarta (ANTARA) - The Ministry of Health (Kemenkes) emphasises the importance of complying with the maximum four-hour standard for food distribution to prevent bacterial growth and the risk of poisoning in the national nutrition fulfilment programme.
Director of Environmental Health at Kemenkes, dr. Then Suyanti, stated that evaluations have identified a chain of contamination risks starting from the storage of raw materials to the final distribution to consumers.
“We hope for a maximum of four hours from the cooking process, portioning, to distribution. If it exceeds that, bacteria will start to grow and pose a health risk,” she said during a dialogue titled “From Nutritious Food to National Intelligence” at the APPMBGI National Summit 2026, which was attended in Jakarta on Saturday.
She reminded kitchen business owners or Nutrition Fulfilment Service Units (SPPG) to ensure even cooking, especially when preparing food in large portions. Additionally, the cleanliness of distribution vehicles is vital to avoid cross-contamination.
“Transport vehicles must be clean and used exclusively for carrying food. Do not mix them with other items that could cause cross-contamination in the vehicle,” she emphasised.
To ensure food quality, Kemenkes implements two layers of supervision: internal by kitchen managers and external by community health centres. Community health centre staff will conduct Environmental Health Inspections (IKL) and random sample tests using sanitation equipment.
“Community health centres will directly monitor SOPs, from how food handlers wash their hands to portioning procedures. If discrepancies are found, they must be immediately corrected to achieve zero accidents or no food incidents,” she explained.
Kemenkes has also prepared a Rapid Response Team (TGC) to conduct investigations and epidemiological inquiries if suspicions of Extraordinary Events (KLB) arise due to food consumption in certain areas, such as food poisoning.
She assured that every laboratory finding will serve as evaluation material and input for SPPG from Kemenkes to improve food safety management.