Indonesia, two foodborne outbreaks sicken over 170 students

Health authorities in Indonesia are investigating two incidents of food poisoning that have affected a total of more than 170 students. This incident represents the latest in a series of at least six documented cases since January 2025 and is part of a programme providing free nutritious meals. Reports of similar cases within the same feeding programme in different regions of Indonesia have been numerous. These include Cianjur in West Java, Bombana Regency in South East Sulawesi, and Batang in Central Java. Several students were admitted to the hospital with symptoms including nausea, vomiting, diarrhoea, and dizziness. The West Java Health Agency conducted a comprehensive analysis of food samples obtained from the kitchen and the patients’ vomit to identify potential microbial contamination. The results of the analysis have not yet been published. Dadan Hindayana, director of the National Nutrition Agency, has stated that the cause of the food poisoning incident has yet to be determined. However, it is suspected that the plastic trays utilised to store foodstuffs may have contributed to the outbreak. Investigations are also underway into the water and cooking utensils used to prepare the food and the food handling chain. The recent incidents have prompted several Indonesian nutritionists to call for the suspension of the feeding programme, which the government says aims to improve the quality of the country’s human resources, with a particular focus on the nutritional well-being of children.