JAKARTA, The Kabar News—The National Nutrition Agency (BGN) has intensified its crackdown on nutrition fulfillment service units (SPPGs) that pursue excessive profits at the expense of ingredient quality and food safety.

BGN head Sudaryono said the agency had structured the operating model for SPPGs to prevent partners from incurring losses. However, he warned that some operators had allegedly cut corners to secure larger returns.

The practices included purchasing lower-quality ingredients or ready-to-eat products whose preparation and hygiene could not be independently verified. Sudaryono linked this concern to suspected food-safety incidents in Bogor and Cirebon, West Java.

In Cirebon, a SPPG allegedly bought cooked and peeled quail eggs. In Bogor, an SPPG reportedly purchased prepared peanut sauce. Sudaryono said kitchen managers could not verify when suppliers had prepared the products or whether they had followed proper hygiene procedures.

“MBG is the Free Meals program, so it must promote health, not make people sick,” Sudaryono said.

He added that BGN could permanently close SPPGs when investigators prove deliberate negligence that endangers beneficiaries. The agency has not publicly released the complete findings of those investigations.

The warning follows BGN’s decision on Sept. 7 to suspend 1,999 SPPGs that had not registered for a Sanitation Hygiene Eligibility Certificate (SLHS) with their local health offices.

The suspended units comprised 351 SPPGs in Sumatra, 1,417 in Java and 231 across other regions. BGN identified them after reviewing its national network and temporarily revising the number of recorded kitchens from 27,485 to 27,022.

“These 1,999 SPPGs did not register for an SLHS with their respective health offices,” Sudaryono said. “It was not a case of registering and then failing to meet the requirements. They did not register at all.”

BGN suspended the kitchens pending further investigation rather than closing them permanently. The agency later reported that it had suspended another 1,276 SPPGs on Sept. 16 following updated monitoring. Enforcement figures can change as kitchens register and complete corrective measures.

Health Ministry rules require an SPPG to submit its appointment document, kitchen layout and proof that food handlers have completed food-safety training.

Local authorities must then inspect the facility and review laboratory results for food samples. The government should issue an SLHS within 14 days after an applicant submits complete documents and meets all requirements, according to the Health Ministry.

The government has also dismissed 249 SPPG heads over food-safety incidents, phishing cases, prolonged absence and other disciplinary violations, according to the Coordinating Food Ministry.

BGN now classifies inspected kitchens into four categories. Compliant kitchens may continue operating, while units with minor deficiencies can make improvements without closing.

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Major repairs are needed for SPPGs, they are suspended temporarily, and fundamentally unsafe facilities can lose their operating permits permanently.

And the stronger controls will protect beneficiaries only if BGN consistently applies them. The agency also needs to publish investigation results, verify corrective actions, and ensure suspended SPPGs do not disrupt meal delivery to children and other eligible recipients.