National Nutrition Agency Halts Operations of 47 Nutrition Service Units Until Day 9 of Ramadan to Maintain Free Nutritious Meal Quality

Jakarta, Kompas.com – Indonesia’s National Nutrition Agency (BGN) has temporarily halted operations of 47 Nutrition Service Units (SPPG) until the 9th day of Ramadan this month.

The decision follows repeated findings of substandard menus in the Free Nutritious Meal (MBG) programme that did not meet quality and safety standards.

Nanik S Deyang, Deputy Head of BGN, stated that the temporary suspension represents part of non-negotiable quality control mechanisms. “We will not tolerate deviations in food standards in this programme. Every finding is immediately acted upon with temporary operational suspension for comprehensive evaluation,” Nanik said in a statement on Saturday (28 February 2026).

According to her, the evaluation covers not only food products but also kitchen management, distribution chains, and quality control procedures. “The MBG programme concerns children’s health and the state’s credibility in ensuring nutritional intake. Therefore, we conduct oversight strictly and transparently,” she said.

She noted that in several cases, food flagged as unsafe had been withdrawn before consumption by students. However, BGN has imposed administrative sanctions as a form of standard enforcement and systemic learning for all programme operators.

“SPPG units that are suspended can resume operations after all improvement recommendations are fulfilled and declared to have passed re-verification. We want to ensure quality is genuinely maintained before services are reopened,” said Nanik.