September 16, 2025 | 10:12 pm
TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Tests conducted at a laboratory in China have confirmed that lard, or pork grease, was used in the production of food trays for the Free Nutritious Meal (MBG) program. Wafa Riansah, Secretary of the Executive Board of Rabithah Ma'ahid Islamiyah Nahdlatul Ulama Jakarta (PW RMI NU Jakarta) and a program supplier, sent a sample of the substance to the Shanghai Weipu Testing Technology Group.
Wafa first discovered the use of lard while visiting a food tray factory in China. "We found lard there," Wafa told Tempo on Tuesday, September 16, 2025. "That's why I decided not to import [the trays]."
After bringing a sample to Indonesia, she tried to get it tested at PT Superintending Company of Indonesia (Sucofindo), a testing, inspection, and certification company. However, Sucofindo couldn't perform the test due to a lack of proper methods. Wafa then sent the sample to the Weipu laboratory in China.
Tempo reviewed the lab test document, which was numbered SHA03-25091211-FX-01CnEnR1. 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 lard is fat, namely triglycerides," the report concluded. The Material Safety Data Sheet for the sample listed its main components as processed base oil, synthetic esters, chlorinated paraffin, processed lard, rust inhibitors, and lubricants.
Dadan Hindayana, Head of the National Nutrition Agency (BGN), explained that lard is indeed a raw material in the process of making MBG food trays. However, he emphasized that the lard is only used on the machine during stamping or pressing. "The food tray is a combination of chromium and nickel," Dadan said on Thursday, August 28, 2025. "The lard is used on the machine during stamping, not on the food tray."
Taruna Ikrar, Head of the Food and Drug Control Agency (BPOM), confirmed that the agency has completed its own testing of the MBG food tray sample but mentioned that BPOM cannot announce the results to the public.
According to Taruna, BPOM, along with the National Nutrition Agency (BGN), the Presidential Communication Office, and the Halal Product Assurance Organizing Agency (BPJPH), have communicated and held a meeting about the test results.
"Essentially, the announcement of these test results will be made jointly," Taruna said at the People's Consultative Assembly (DPR) complex in Senayan, Jakarta, on Monday, September 15, 2025. "The lead sector for announcing the test results is at the Presidential Communication Office."
Dinda Shabrina contributed to the report
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