Jakarta. President Prabowo Subianto has ordered all kitchens participating in Indonesia’s free nutritious meal program to be equipped with food safety test kits by next week, following a series of food poisoning incidents that have affected more than 6,500 students nationwide since January.

The directive was issued during a meeting at Prabowo’s residence in Bogor, West Java, on Sunday, as confirmed by a statement from the Cabinet Secretariat’s official Instagram account.

“The President instructed the Head of the National Nutrition Agency (BGN) to ensure that, by next week, all kitchens are equipped with food safety test kits, hygienic washing and drying equipment with hot water, antibacterial tools, and clean water filters,” the statement read.

The order came amid growing public concern over the safety of meals distributed under the ambitious nationwide program, one of Prabowo’s flagship social initiatives aimed at improving child nutrition and reducing malnutrition-related stunting.

BGN Chief Dadan Hindayana said the President had also instructed that kitchens adopt operational standards used by the National Police’s Nutrition Fulfillment Service Units (SPPG), which have been praised for their stringent safety procedures.

“They conduct rapid tests before any food is distributed,” Dadan said during a parliamentary hearing at the Senayan Complex in Jakarta on October 1, adding that no food poisoning cases had been linked to police-managed kitchens.

The free nutritious meal program, launched in January 2025, is one of the cornerstone policies of Prabowo’s administration. Last month, the President said the initiative had already reached around 30 million beneficiaries, though he acknowledged that the government would not rush its original target of 82 million recipients by year’s end following the recent poisoning incidents.

As of early October, the number of registered kitchens participating in the program has reached nearly 10,000 across Indonesia. The government is now prioritizing strict hygiene protocols, including on-site testing and standardized food handling, to restore public confidence in the program.

The National Nutrition Agency, in coordination with the Health Ministry and local governments, is expected to finalize new food safety standards this month, including requirements for daily testing and certification of all meal suppliers.

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