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Nearly 2,000 students in Indonesia got food poisoning from free meal programme in January 2026
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Students pray before eating their food supplied by the Indonesian government's free meal programme at an elementary school in Banda Aceh on Oct 30, 2025.
PHOTO: AFP
SEMARANG, Central Java - Nearly 2,000 students have suffered food poisoning from Indonesia’s free nutritious meal programme in 2026, despite its zero-incident goal, sparking doubts over the government’s commitment to food safety in the ambitious programme.
The latest outbreak occurred on Jan 30 in Muaro Jambi Regency, Jambi, where around 145 students, from kindergarten to high school age, fell sick after eating soto (traditional Indonesian soup) provided by a local Nutrition Fulfilment Service Unit (SPPG).
