Indonesian free meals programme attracts biting criticism over fried shark
Critics say shark, which officials call a part of the regional diet, should not be served to children as it is potentially high in mercury
Over 6,000 students have reportedly come down with food poisoning since January's launch of the nutritious lunch scheme, which aims to cover more than 80 million children, pregnant women and breastfeeding mothers by next year.
While the cause has been traced to contaminated fried tofu, chicken in soy sauce and a number of fruit and vegetable dishes, administrators at a school in Ketapang blamed the food poisoning on the dish of shark fillet with tomato sauce on the menu.
Critics questioned why the fish, with its potentially high mercury content, was selected to feed the children, prompting a rebuttal from the authorities.
Indonesia’s National Nutrition Agency Deputy Head Nanik Deyang said shark meat was part of the diet in that region.