Elementary School Students In Semarang Recruited To Become 'Food Detectives', Their Job Is To Monitor Snacks At School

SEMARANG - The Semarang City Food Security Service has formed a food detective consisting of school students to monitor the distribution of food and snacks in the school environment.

"We recruited several elementary school (SD) students in grades IV, V, and VI to become food detectives," said Semarang City Food Security Agency (DKP) head Bambang Pramusinto, as reported by ANTARA, Sunday, February 6.

According to him, the existence of the food detective is intended to streamline the supervision of food distribution in the school environment, such as the canteen and around the school.

"Our food detectives are equipped with theories, such as B2SA (Diverse, Nutritious, Balanced, and Safe) food. They are tasked with educating their friends," he said.

The food detective will invite other students to bring food according to the "Fill My Plate" campaign by the Ministry of Health, namely 50 percent contains fruits and vegetables, while the other 50 percent consists of carbohydrates and protein.

"Hopefully, no one will bring supplies such as rice and instant noodles, or just rice and eggs, no vegetables. It must be complete according to 'My Plate'," said Bambang.

Those who are recruited as food detectives are also selected by students who have achievements or rankings in their class so that they are expected to be more competent and clear in giving explanations to their friends.

For supervision, he said, food detectives were tasked with temporarily supervising the circulation of food and snacks in schools, communicating and coordinating with school teachers.

If they find suspicious snacks, he said, they will communicate with the teacher, then the teacher will contact the Food Security Agency who will immediately go to the location.

Bambang said students who became food detectives were equipped with knowledge about suspicious foods, such as seeing colors that were too flashy and expiration dates.

"We have just made (the food detective, ed.) at Sompok Elementary School (School Lamper Kidul 02 Semarang, ed.) as a model. We will develop the practice in all elementary schools in Semarang City," he said.