707 Students and Teachers in Semarang Suspected of Food Poisoning from Nutrition Program Meal

A free nutrition program in Semarang, Indonesia, has led to suspected food poisoning affecting at least 707 students and teachers at SMKN 6 Semarang. The suspected culprit is the "Makan Bergizi Gratis" (MBG) program, which provides meals to students.

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But Alhamdulillah the others did not (experience suspected poisoning cases). Because the one cooked at 9 PM was, by chance, the one given to SMKN 6.

Health officials, led by the Head of the Semarang City Health Office, Mochamad Abdul Hakam, believe the meals were prepared too early. The provider, SPPG Karangturi, supplied MBG to SMKN 6 Semarang, but other schools receiving meals from the same provider did not report similar incidents. Hakam noted that the meals suspected of causing the poisoning were cooked the previous night, starting at 9 PM.

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So it can be said broadly that out of 19 SOPs or SPOs that must be adhered to by SPPG, only three were met.

Further investigation revealed that SPPG Karangturi failed to adhere to most of the 19 operational standards for MBG preparation. Only three standards, related to raw materials and distribution, were met. Despite these violations, the provider held a hygiene and sanitation certification.

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So the samples taken included rendang, cassava leaves, tofu, and quail eggs.

Lab tests are currently underway on food samples, including rendang, cassava leaves, tofu, and quail eggs. Initial findings from interviews with affected students and teachers suggest rendang and eggs were the most commonly consumed problematic dishes. As of Monday, six individuals were still hospitalized, receiving treatment at various medical facilities.

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It turned out that approximately 49 percent had rendang dishes, 40-something percent had eggs, the rest were in the cassava leaves.