Health Ministry reports sharp drop in MBG food poisoning cases

  Indonesia’s Ministry of Health reported a sharp decline in food poisoning cases linked to the government’s "Free Nutritious Meals" (MBG) program, with incidents dropping to just 12 cases in December 2025 as safety protocols tightened.

Deputy Health Minister Benjamin Paulus Octavianus revealed on Thursday that the program, which previously saw thousands of monthly incidents during its early stages, has recorded zero cases over the past 19 days.

"We are grateful that throughout December 2025, there were only 12 incidents. Previously, the figures were in the thousands—three thousand, two thousand, then one thousand—so it is getting better every day," Octavianus told reporters in Jakarta.

The decline is being credited to more rigorous oversight by the National Nutrition Agency (BGN)

To reach a "zero incident" target, the Ministry of Health is strictly monitoring and updating a registry of service kitchens that hold mandatory Sanitation Hygiene Certificates (SLHS).

Beyond safety, the government is shifting its focus toward specialized nutritional interventions.

Officials are now working to identify beneficiaries with specific food allergies while maintaining standard meal portions.

The ultimate goal of the program is to improve national health outcomes, particularly by reducing the prevalence of stunting—a condition of impaired growth and development due to poor nutrition—among Indonesian children.

Launched on January 6, 2025, by President Prabowo Subianto, the free meals program is one of the world's most ambitious social welfare projects.

It aims to provide daily nutrition to 82.9 million people, including students from preschool to high school, pregnant women, and breastfeeding mothers.

By the end of 2025, the BGN had established 19,188 specialized kitchens across the archipelago, serving approximately 55.1 million people.

The government expects to reach its full target of nearly 83 million beneficiaries by February 2026.