Mass Food Poisoning in Indonesia Tied to Prabowo’s Free Meal Initiative

Over 360 Students Fall Ill in Central Java in Largest Food Poisoning Outbreak Linked to Indonesia’s Free School Meals Program

More than 360 students and school staff in Sragen, a town in Central Java, Indonesia, have fallen ill after consuming free school meals, according to local government officials. This alarming incident is now being described as the largest food poisoning outbreak yet tied to President Prabowo Subianto’s flagship free school lunch initiative.

The outbreak has triggered serious concerns over food safety standards within the government’s ambitious free meal distribution program, which was launched in January 2025 and touted as a cornerstone of the President’s campaign to improve public health, nutrition, and economic equity.

Details of the Sragen Food Poisoning Incident

According to Sragen regional chief Sigit Pamungkas, 365 individuals, mostly students, reported symptoms of stomach pain, headaches, diarrhoea, and nausea after eating school-provided meals. Health authorities have sent food samples from the contaminated meal to a laboratory for analysis.

The meal reportedly included:

Turmeric rice
Omelette ribbons
Fried tempeh
Cucumber and lettuce salad
Sliced apples
A box of milk

These meals were prepared in a central kitchen and distributed to multiple schools across the area. One affected student described waking up in the middle of the night with severe abdominal pain, only to discover that many of his schoolmates were experiencing similar symptoms and had posted about their condition on social media.

Government Response and Investigation

In response to the incident, Pamungkas announced that the kitchen responsible for the meal preparation has been ordered to halt operations temporarily, pending the outcome of the laboratory tests. The government has assured families that it will cover all medical expenses related to the incident if treatment is needed.

This latest episode follows a growing pattern of similar foodborne illness cases reported across Indonesia since the rollout of the free meals policy. To date, over 1,000 people have reportedly fallen ill due to mass food poisoning incidents connected to the program.

Rising Pressure on Indonesia’s National Nutrition Agency

The National Nutrition Agency of Indonesia, which oversees the school feeding initiative, has already begun implementing stricter food safety measures. According to agency chief Dadan Hindayana, enhanced standards for food preparation, kitchen hygiene, and meal delivery have been introduced following earlier outbreaks.

However, the latest case in Sragen underscores ongoing gaps in food safety protocols, especially when meals are mass-produced and outsourced to third-party catering services.

In one notable earlier case in West Java in May, more than 200 schoolchildren fell ill after eating tainted meals. Laboratory tests confirmed the presence of harmful bacteria including Salmonella and E. coli, raising concerns about poor kitchen sanitation practices.

A High-Stakes Policy Under Scrutiny

The free school meals program was one of President Prabowo Subianto’s most high-profile election promises. Valued at 171 trillion rupiah (approximately $10.62 billion), the program aims to deliver nutritious meals to 83 million recipients by the end of the year. As of August, the government has already expanded the initiative to reach over 15 million people.

In January, over 190 central kitchens were established nationwide, many of them operated by military bases and private contractors, to produce and distribute meals across schools and community centers.

President Prabowo and his administration have emphasized the program’s long-term goals of improving children’s health, enhancing educational outcomes, and stimulating local agricultural and food production industries. However, the rising number of food poisoning incidents is putting public confidence in the program to the test.