Alfitria Nefi P, Jakarta – The National Nutrition Agency (BGN) compels new free nutritious meal kitchens to use locally-produced food trays as a requirement to register in the program. "We require the use of domestically produced food trays and proof of purchase," said Deputy Head of BGN Nanik S. Deyan on Wednesday, September 24, 2025.
Nanik explained that the policy applies to new kitchens that has yet to operate. The food trays are also required to meet certain quality standards, including certain nickel content, to prevent rusting.
This policy comes against the backdrop of imported food trays from China in the free nutritious meal program. According to Nanik, the import of food containers had been ongoing since before the establishment of BGN. At that time, government-run schools imported the food trays as there were no local factories. But as the program was introduced, as many as 25 local food tray, locally known as ompreng, factories have emerged.
In response to allegations of imported food trays from China containing pork grease, Nanik said BGN is working with the Halal Product Assurance Organizer Agency (BPJPH) to conduct inspections.
The first allegations regarding the presence of pork grease were brought forward by the Secretary of PW RMI NU Jakarta, Wafa Riansah. The suspicion arose during a visit to a factory in Chaoshan, China, on August 19, 2025. "We found pork grease, hence I decided against importing there," said Wafa during an interview with Tempo on Tuesday, September 16, 2025.
Wafa brought a sample of the oil to Indonesia for testing at PT Sucofindo, which the company later rejected, citing methodological limitations. Subsequently, Wafa sent the sample to the Weipu laboratory in China.
Tempo has seen a copy of the test results from Weipu laboratory, numbered SHA03-25091211-FX-01CnEnR1. The results indicated that the food trays imported from China for the free nutritious meal program indeed contained pork grease.
Weipu analyzed the sample using three methods: Fourier Transform Infrared Spectrometer (FTIR), Gas Chromatography Mass Spectrometry (GC-MS), and Nuclear Magnetic Resonance Spectrometer (NMR). "The main component of processed pork fat is triglycerides," the conclusion of the report stated.
According to the safety data sheet, the main components of the sample include processed base oil, synthetic esters, chlorinated paraffins, processed pork fat, rust inhibitors, and lubricants.
– Anastasya Lavenia Yudi contributed to the writing of this article.