SHLS To Halal Certification, New Standards Of The Ministry Of Health Tighten The Security Of The MBG Menu

Illustration of the MBG menu. (ANTARA)

JAKARTA - In preventing the recurrence of extraordinary cases (KLB) of poisoning due to the Free Nutrition Food (MBG) program, the government now requires three types of certification, namely a Sanitation Higiene Like Certificate (SLHS), Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points (HACCP), and halal certification.

Minister of Health Budi Gunadi Sadikin explained that in Jakarta, the three certifications are a minimum requirement for the Nutrition Fulfillment Service Unit (SPPG).

"Now, the three certification processes will be added to one more recognition from BPOM. So the Ministry of Health and BPOM and BGN will work together to carry out certification," Budi said, as quoted by ANTARA.

He added that the government is accelerating the certification process so that it can run quickly, efficiently, with quality, and without burdening licensing costs.

Functionally, HACCP is used to ensure the quality of food processing facilities, while SLHS is aimed at ensuring the competence of the human resources involved.

Referring to the explanation of the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), HACCP is a science-based system to maintain food safety by controlling potential biological, chemical, and physical hazards along the production chain to food consumption.

In addition to certification, supervision will also be strengthened. The Ministry of Health together with the Ministry of Home Affairs and the Food and Drug Supervisory Agency (BPOM) will carry out external supervision every week, as assistance to internal supervision carried out by the National Nutrition Agency (BGN).

Earlier, the Head of the National Food Agency said there were standards to check the quality of raw materials. Earlier, we also discussed that the water quality is very important to determine whether the food served will be good or not. "He said.

Budi said that his party had also collaborated with the Ministry of Elementary and Secondary Education to strengthen monitoring at the school level. Supervision will be carried out by involving the School Health Unit (UKS), considering that there are around 450 thousand schools under the authority of the ministry.

"At least when we eat what comes, we can teach it, look at the colors that change or not, something smells strange or not, the physicality is mucus or not. Now, simple supervision, we will work together with all existing schools," said Budi.