Jakarta (ANTARA) – Indonesia’s National Nutrition Agency (BGN) has introduced a policy requiring kitchens operating under the Free Nutritious Meals (MBG) program to indicate safe consumption time limits on every meal serving to strengthen food safety.
“Starting next week, we will require kitchens to write signs or warnings on every food tray indicating the time frame within which the meals must be consumed,” BGN Head Sudaryono said in a statement received here on Sunday.
In this regard, he called for an active role from teachers in ensuring compliance with the consumption deadlines.
“Both teachers and students must not consume the meals beyond their stated time limits,” he said.
Sudaryono further emphasized that the meals served under the program generally have a four-hour safe consumption window, assuring the public that they are prepared using fresh ingredients without preservatives.
“It should be noted that the meals are not ultra-processed foods; they truly are freshly prepared, which is why they have a limited safe consumption period,” he added.
The BGN chief also urged MBG beneficiaries not to take the meals home, noting that the policy is already stipulated in the program’s technical guidelines.
“Make sure to consume the foods right there in the classroom during the permitted time limit. The meals should not be taken home,” Sudaryono stressed.
He said taking MBG meals home had been linked to food poisoning cases reported in several locations.
The official recalled his recent visit to an elementary school in Bogor, West Java, following a food poisoning incident in which a recipient reportedly brought home leftovers for family members.
“Food poisoning cases in several places affected not only the receiving students but also their fathers and mothers,” he said.
Translator: Lintang Budiyanti, Tegar Nurfitra
Editor: Bayu Prasetyo
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