Pungent Food Smell Causes Pulogebang Elementary School Students Suffer From MBG Poisoning

JAKARTA - Another food poisoning incident occurred in East Jakarta under the Free Nutritional Meal (MBG) program. This time, the victims were students at SDN 07 Pulogebang, Cakung, East Jakarta.

The incident was even shared on social media. A post on the Pulogebang and Surrounding Areas Residents Facebook forum showed a photo of several female students in white and red uniforms with their parents surrounding a white ambulance.

"MBG poisoning has occurred again at SDN 07 Pulogebang," read a statement on the Pulogebang and Surrounding Areas Residents Facebook forum, quoted on Thursday, September 25, 2025.

However, the Head of the Pulogebang School of Nutrition (SPPG), Ahmad Irfansyah, denied any food poisoning incidents in his area.

Ahmad explained that the MBG menu served that day consisted of soto (soto soup) with cabbage and bananas.

He said that around seven students felt nauseous, possibly due to the strong smell of the cabbage.

"So maybe it was because they didn't like the smell, because the cabbage also had gas, so they felt nauseous. There were about seven of them," said Ahmad.

He added that the students' condition had gradually recovered after being given tea by the teacher and they were able to return to their normal activities.

"Then the teacher gave them tea, and they resumed their normal activities. It's just that there was misinformation because our sub-district had experienced food poisoning, and an ambulance arrived," he said.

Ahmad confirmed that the MBG food distributed wasn't spoiled or spoiled, just smelly due to the heat.

"It wasn't spoiled. It's just that cabbage, especially since it was hot for an hour, it was really hot on the street, sir. Maybe because the heat was so intense, the smell of the cabbage was too strong," he argued.

"And the smell of the bananas was also noticeable when bananas are exposed to heat. So it's just a matter of smell," he added.

Previously, cases of MBG food poisoning also occurred in North Jakarta. Several students at SMAN 15 Sunter, Tanjung Priok, North Jakarta, have once again been poisoned by free nutritious meals (MBG).

The Deputy Head of the National Nutrition Agency (BGN), Nanik S Deyang, confirmed the incident. According to her, the incident occurred around 11:00 a.m. Western Indonesian Time (WIB), when seven students received a free nutritious meal consisting of shredded chicken noodles.

At the time of the incident, SMAN 15 received 641 portions of MBG from the Nutrition Fulfillment Service Unit (SPPG) in the Sunter area.

Nanik said that the SPPG had prepared 3,499 MBG meals for several schools that day. However, two hours after the seven students ate the MBG, they complained of nausea.

"At 11:00 a.m. Western Indonesian Time (WIB), the SPPG received information two hours later that some students were experiencing nausea, but none of them had vomited. Three students were reported," she said.