BPOM Ensures Free Nutrition Foods Are Safe To Consume And Bring Home During Ramadan

JAKARTA - During the month of Ramadan, the need for nutritional intake must still be considered, especially for children who are in a period of growth. The Free Nutrition Food Program (MBG) is here as an effort to ensure that children get adequate nutrition, even if they are fasting.

Salah satu tantangan dalam pelaksanaan MBG selama Ramadan adalah memastikan makanan tetap aman diumumkan saat berbuka puasa, terutama jika dibawa pulang dari sekolah.

Head of the Food and Drug Supervisory Agency (BPOM), Taruna Ikrar, emphasized that the menu provided in the MBG program has met food safety standards and is suitable for take-away.

"During the month of Ramadan, the food that children receive at school has certainly been considered to remain safe when brought home to open," said Taruna when met in Jakarta, Tuesday.

BPOM also provides assistance to Indonesian Development Mobilization Scholars (SPPI) and the Nutrition Fulfillment Service Unit (SPPG) so that food distribution in the MBG program is in accordance with food safety standards.

The cadet explained that every food ingredient, such as rice, vegetables, and protein, has a certain shelf and can experience changes when mixed with other ingredients. Therefore, his party has arranged a food packaging system to keep it hygienic and safe to consume.

"For example, if food is brought home, vegetables should not be directly mixed with rice or other side dishes. Everything must be separated in a special container so that the quality is maintained," he added.

Furthermore, Taruna highlighted the importance of the Free Nutrition Food program in an effort to improve the nutritional quality of Indonesian children. Currently, about 80 percent of children in Indonesia are experiencing nutritional problems, with 21.6 percent of them suffering from stunting, 40 percent experiencing micronutrition deficiency, and about 20 percent excess nutrition.

The MBG program is considered a long-term investment to prevent various diseases, including degenerative diseases and metabolic disorders. In addition to ensuring that children get a balanced intake, MBG also contributes to shaping healthy eating habits from an early age.

According to the cadets, MBG's success requires synergy from various parties, including the community and the food industry. Therefore, he proposed the concept of mutual cooperation so that this program can run sustainably.

"If all parties participate, then the MBG program will not only last for a year or two, but it can be a sustainable program to support the health of Indonesian children," he concluded.