# Mass food poisoning incidents in Indonesia MBG program > Live situation record from CLSTR: https://clstr.news/situations/indonesia-free-nutritious-meals-program-implementation > Updated: 2026-09-08T13:37:16.000Z. Sources: 34. Developments: 4. The Indonesian government’s Free Nutritious Meals (MBG) program has faced significant setbacks following widespread reports of food poisoning. While the program initially allowed large Islamic boarding schools to operate their own kitchens to meet a target of 82.9 million beneficiaries, recent incidents have raised serious safety concerns. Following the initial reports from the Manbaul Hikam Islamic Boarding School in Sidoarjo, where over 500 students fell ill, the scope of the crisis has expanded. As of September 3, 2026, approximately 2,000 students and teachers across Indonesia have reported symptoms such as diarrhea, nausea, and dizziness. In Central Java, 777 individuals at a high school in Lasem fell ill, leading the school to send nearly 1,200 students and 95 staff members home. In East Java, the number of affected individuals at the Sidoarjo boarding school rose to 730. Additionally, hundreds of people in the Tana Toraja region of South Sulawesi reported similar symptoms. Witnesses noted that some chicken in the meals had a ‘slimy texture’, a ‘fish-like odor’, or appeared undercooked. By September 5, 2026, the Sidoarjo District Health Office confirmed that all students from the Manbaul Hikam school had been discharged from the hospital as their health improved. The incident involved 748 students across 19 schools in the Kalitengah area of Tanggulangin. The poisoning is suspected to have been caused by a menu consisting of white rice, scrambled eggs, tempeh in Balinese seasoning, sautéed green beans with baby corn, and apples, produced by the Kalitengah Nutrition Fulfillment Service Unit (SPPG). Similar incidents were also reported in the Nganjuk and Jombang regions. In Yogyakarta, Governor Sri Sultan Hamengku Buwono X addressed poisoning cases in Turi, Sleman, and Bantul. On September 8, 2026, the Governor attributed these incidents to negligence in food processing and storage rather than intentional harm. ## Claims - A total of 512 people were affected by the food poisoning incident. (disputed by 7 sources) - The National Nutrition Agency (BGN) has imposed a 30-day suspension on the Kalitengah SPPG in Sidoarjo. (corroborated by 8 sources) - 80 people are still receiving intensive medical treatment. (corroborated by 6 sources) - The meal menu consisted of white rice, scrambled eggs, stir-fried green beans and baby corn, Balinese-style seasoned tempeh, and apples. (corroborated by 5 sources) - The meals were supplied by the Kalitengah SPPG. (corroborated by 4 sources) - The BGN has proposed the removal and replacement of the Kalitengah SPPG head. (corroborated by 4 sources) - 431 students at Manbaul Hikam Islamic boarding school were affected by the suspected poisoning. (corroborated by 3 sources) - There were no fatalities reported from the incident. (corroborated by 3 sources) - The BGN claims to have found evidence of intentional negligence in the handling of the meals. (corroborated by 2 sources) - The procedural violations could lead to criminal charges. (corroborated by 2 sources) ## Timeline ### 2026-09-08: Indonesia regional news: Yogyakarta deepfake scams and mobile services Regional news from Indonesia includes deepfake scams targeting the Sultan of Yogyakarta, food poisoning investigations, mobile administrative services in major cities, and local sports and anniversary events. 14 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/yogyakarta-governor-addresses-food-poisoning-in-nutrition-program ### 2026-09-05: Sidoarjo students recover from mass food poisoning All 748 students affected by suspected food poisoning from the Free Nutritious Meal program in Sidoarjo have been discharged from the hospital after recovering from nausea and vomiting. 2 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/sidoarjo-students-recover-from-mass-food-poisoning ### 2026-09-01: Sidoarjo school meal poisoning affects over 500 students Over 500 students in Sidoarjo, Indonesia, suffered food poisoning after eating free school meals. The National Nutrition Agency has suspended the responsible kitchen for 30 days and is investigating negligence. 31 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/manbaul-hikam-students-suspected-of-food-poisoning-in-sidoarjo ### 2026-08-06: Indonesia Allows Large Islamic Boarding Schools to Operate Their Own Free Meal Kitchens Indonesia will let large Islamic boarding schools run their own MBG kitchens, provided they meet hygiene standards, to broaden free nutritious meals for students. 2 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/indonesia-allows-large-islamic-boarding-schools-to-operate-their-own-free-meal-kitchens --- Cite as: Mass food poisoning incidents in Indonesia MBG program. CLSTR, https://clstr.news/situations/indonesia-free-nutritious-meals-program-implementation