Suspected Food Poisoning Hits Free Nutritious Meal Programme Again, BGN Chief Vows Firm Action
A suspected case of food poisoning from the Free Nutritious Meal (MBG) programme has occurred again. Several students of SMA Negeri 1 Berastagi, Karo Regency, North Sumatra, are suspected to have suffered food poisoning after consuming MBG meals on Thursday (13/8/2026).
The case emerged as the National Nutrition Agency (BGN) is tightening food safety oversight of the MBG programme, including requiring every ompreng or food container to display a consumption time limit.
Head of BGN Sudaryono said his agency would immediately investigate the case in Berastagi, including verifying whether the MBG meals distributed were equipped with consumption time labels in accordance with regulations.
“I will check, I will check later. I have not monitored it yet because there is this meeting. I will check later. Whether it already has a label or not, and all sorts of things we will check, we will investigate,” Sudaryono said when met at the Ministry of Home Affairs office in Jakarta on Thursday (13/8/2026).
Sudaryono stressed that every report of MBG food poisoning would be immediately followed up with an investigation. BGN can also suspend the operations of problematic kitchens and remove the head of the Nutrition Fulfilment Service Unit (SPPG) or MBG kitchen.
“But what is clear is that for all poisoning cases, we immediately suspend the kitchen, we remove the head of the SPPG, and we investigate. Then if necessary, if there is indeed an element of intent, this element or that element, the head of the SPPG can even be dismissed, and the kitchen permanently closed,” he asserted.
According to detikSumut, a number of students of SMA Negeri 1 Berastagi were reported to have suffered suspected food poisoning after consuming MBG meals. The evacuation process for the students is still ongoing.
Head of the North Sumatra Education Office Branch for Region IV, Zulkarnain Barus, confirmed the incident. However, he has not provided further details because the evacuation process is still underway.
“This is currently being evacuated. I will share information later. We are evacuating here,” Zulkarnain said, as quoted from detikSumut.
Head of BGN Regional North Sumatra, Agung Kurniawan, also acknowledged that he had received information about the suspected poisoning. He is currently travelling from Medan to Karo to check conditions on the ground.
As background, BGN has begun tightening food safety oversight of the MBG programme by requiring the inclusion of consumption time limits on every ompreng or food container.
Sudaryono said the rule was created so that teachers and students know when food is still safe to consume. MBG meals must not be eaten after the specified time limit has passed.
“We will impose an obligation to write on every ompreng a sign or a warning that it must be consumed, or must be eaten before a certain time. So the role of teachers is very important here,” Sudaryono said in his statement, as quoted on Monday (10/8/2026).
He also stressed that the prohibition on consuming food after the time limit applies to all MBG recipients, including teachers.
“If the time on the ompreng has exceeded the stated time, we ask that it not be consumed. Teachers must not consume it, and especially the students or pupils must not consume it once it has passed the specified time limit,” he asserted.
According to Sudaryono, MBG meals are fresh food that does not use preservatives. Therefore, the food has a safe consumption time limit.
“Because in accordance with normal food serving standards, after cooking it must be eaten within a maximum of 4 hours because this food has no preservatives. It is truly cooked without ultra-processed food, so it is genuinely fresh, and therefore there is a window, a window of time in which it is safe to consume,” he explained.
BGN will now further investigate the suspected poisoning in Berastagi, including verifying the implementation of food safety provisions and the consumption time limit rules on MBG ompreng. The case will also be part of the investigation before BGN determines action against the SPPG kitchen that supplied the food.