Food Safety Crisis in Free Meal Program | Adelaide News

0:00This week, we're seeing nearly 2,000 people fall ill from suspected food poisoning outbreaks tied to President Prabowo Suvianto's Big Free Meals program. This is happening as the government is pushing to expand this multi-billion dollar initiative across the country, sparking new worries about food, safety. The program has space issues before, with repeated food poisoning incidents and corruption claims popping up even as it's rolled out. The biggest outbreak hit Central Java, where over 700 students and teachers got sick with symptoms like diarrhea and nausea after eating, program meals. Similar incidents have been reported in East Java, West Sumatra, and South Sulawesi, affecting hundreds more. Thankfully, no deaths have been reported so far. Health officials are investigating the exact causes, but this is a serious setback for a program meant to feed millions of students, toddlers, and pregnant women to fight malnutrition. Earlier this year, internal reviews pointed to about 80-90% of past food poisoning cases

1:02stemming from improper food handling and storage. Inspectors have also found many questionable facilities, and hundreds of kitchens have been shut down for not meeting hygiene standards. This situation adds to a long list of concerns, especially after the former head of the program was arrested in June over alleged corruption. The goal is to reach almost 90 million people, but the safety and corruption issues are definitely casting a shadow. That's your update from Adelaide News today, powered by AI.