Indonesia to Inspect China-Made Food Trays Over Pork Lard Concerns

Jakarta, MINA – Haikal Hasan, head of the Halal Product Assurance Agency (BPJPH), will fly to China this week to inspect the food trays for the Free Nutritious Meals (MBG) program, following allegations that they contain pork lard.

Hasan stated that the inspection is necessary to verify the claims circulating about the MBG trays from China. The BPJPH’s official stance will be determined after the on-site inspection.

“We (BPJPH) must go to China to see firsthand the issue being raised about the MBG food trays containing pork lard,” Hasan said during the signing of a memorandum of understanding for the National Nutrition Fulfillment Program at the Bappenas office in Central Jakarta on Monday.

“Hopefully, we will depart this week. We don’t respond to rumors or hoaxes; we have to witness and audit everything ourselves first. Hopefully, we will leave this week,” he added after the event.

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Hasan believes that irresponsible parties are spreading the allegations about the MBG trays. The issue has become a national concern and is even considered a threat to stability.

The BPJPH’s action aligns with a direct request from Dadan Hindayana, head of the National Nutrition Agency (BGN). Hindayana openly asked the BPJPH to inspect the procurement process for the food trays from China.

“The Head of the Agency [Haikal Hasan] must go to China and inspect all the food trays used by the Nutrition Agency. This will allow for a statement that all of them are halal, to eliminate any doubt,” Hindayana stated at the same event.

Hindayana admitted that the products currently in use are not domestically sourced. Local businesses can only produce 10 million food trays per month, while the national need is for an additional 70 million MBG trays.

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The issue of the MBG food trays came to light after an investigative report by the Indonesia Business Post from the Chaoshan region of Guangdong Province, China. The report claimed that 30 to 40 factories in China are producing the MBG trays.

It also alleged that the Chinese-made food trays contain high levels of manganese, making them unsuitable for acidic foods, and that there were indications that pork lard was used in their production process. []

Mi’raj News Agency (MINA)

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