September 18, 2025 | 05:43 pm
TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - The head of Indonesia's National Nutrition Agency (BGN), Dadan Hindayana, stated that the agency regularly receives reports of food poisoning cases in the Free Nutritious Meals (MBG) program, including the recent incident in the Banggai Islands, Central Sulawesi. In that area, a total of 251 students, from elementary to high school, were taken to the hospital after consuming free nutritious meals on Wednesday, September 17, 2025.
Dadan stated that the Nutrition Fulfillment Service Unit—the kitchen that supplies food to schools—had been operating for eight months. During that time, there had been no previous issues. The menu served that day was also a regular one. Hence, Dadan suspected that the poisoning originated from the raw ingredients. "The preliminary suspicion is on the raw ingredients, coinciding with the change of supplier," Dadan said in a written message on Thursday, September 18, 2025.
According to reports received by the central government, Dadan mentioned that the symptoms experienced by the students seemed to indicate an allergic reaction. Dadan could not confirm anything yet because they were still awaiting the results of a further investigation. "Doctors suspect allergies, which are currently being thoroughly examined," he said.
Quoting the official website of Banggai Regency, out of the total 251 students admitted to the Trikora Salakan Regional General Hospital (RSUD), 78 were still in intensive care, while 173 had been discharged. The students came from SMA 1 Tinangkung (high school), SMK 1 Tinangkung (high school), SDN Tompudau (elementary school), SDN Pembina (elementary school), SDN Saiyong (elementary school), and MTS Alkhairat Salakan (junior high school).
These students experienced various poisoning symptoms. Some had itching all over their bodies, nausea and vomiting, facial swelling, an itchy throat, shortness of breath, dizziness, and headaches.
The preliminary conclusion suggested that this mass poisoning originated from a processed type of tuna known as cakalang in the lunch menu on Wednesday. "Several fish were suspected to be unfit for consumption," as quoted from the official government website of Banggai Regency on Thursday, September 18, 2025.
Currently, more students affected by the poisoning continue to arrive for medical treatment at RSUD Salakan. The Banggai Regency government has also set up emergency tents in front of the hospital for the care and observation of the affected students.
Editor's Choice: 251 Indonesian Students in Banggai Suspected of Food Poisoning from Free Meals
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