A total of 127 residents of Karangturi Village, Klaten Regency, Central Java Province, suffered food poisoning after consuming boxed rice meals during a wayang celebration on Saturday (Apr. 12).
Of those affected, 47 people were hospitalized, 80 were treated as outpatients, and one individual passed away, suspected to have had comorbidities.
Victims reported symptoms such as stomach pain, nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea up until Sunday morning (Apr. 13). Authorities have since sent food samples to a laboratory in Semarang for testing.
Professor Sri Raharjo, Head of UGM’s Center for Food and Nutrition Studies (PSPG), stated that food poisoning at community gatherings is recurring.
He noted that such cases occur frequently each year, although not all are reported or covered by the media.
“Some are published in the media, while others are not. Unfortunately, follow-ups on these cases, especially the laboratory results identifying the bacteria or toxins involved, are rarely disclosed. This hinders efforts to effectively prevent similar incidents from happening again,” he explained Thursday (Apr. 17).
Professor Raharjo, a lecturer in the Department of Food and Agricultural Product Technology at the UGM Faculty of Agricultural Technology (FTP UGM), attributed the Klaten case to multiple contributing factors. The first relates to the quality and safety of the fresh ingredients used.
The second involves the food preparation process, specifically, the condition of the cooks, utensils, how they’re used in the environment, and the time between cooking and consumption.
According to media reports, the boxed meals included rice, beef rendang, spicy stewed cow skin (krecek), pickles, crackers, and snacks. Professor Raharjo says beef rendang and krecek pose the highest food safety risks.
He questioned whether the beef was processed while still fresh, cold, or frozen. It may have harbored bacterial or toxic contamination above safe limits.
He estimated that 200–300 boxed meals, each containing about 50 grams of beef, may have been prepared, requiring roughly 10–15 kilograms of fresh meat.
When combined with seasoning, such a quantity is unlikely to have been cooked in one go using household-sized equipment.
“It was probably cooked in three to five batches. This means the first batch could have been prepared as early as 7:00 AM on the same day or even the day before. That creates a time gap of over 10 hours before the food is consumed, which is risky,” he explained.
Even if a large enough pot had been available to cook all the beef at once, there would still be the risk of uneven heat distribution, resulting in some pieces being undercooked.
This may fail to kill bacteria or neutralize toxins that had already contaminated the meat due to poor storage.
Professor Raharjo also noted that assuming the beef and krecek were boxed after cooking, residents would have consumed the meals around 7:00–8:00 PM.
“That’s a 12-hour window before consumption—typical of evening wayang celebrations. When food is cooked in large quantities, there’s a chance that the heat doesn’t penetrate evenly, leaving bacteria or toxins behind,” he added.
He emphasized that a 12-hour gap is sufficient for bacteria to multiply to dangerous levels.
Some people may have remained unaffected due to stronger immune systems, while those with weaker health conditions suffered symptoms such as stomach pain, vomiting, or diarrhea.
Professor Raharjo warned that similar incidents could easily occur again in different communities.
He advised a better public understanding of safe mass food preparation techniques to ensure food safety at communal events prepared on a gotong royong (mutual cooperation) basis.
He also stressed the importance of using appropriate utensils correctly and being cautious if food is not consumed within ten hours of being cooked.
“These are important points that must be considered and acted upon. Communities must also take care of their health. By working together, we can reduce the risk of future food poisoning outbreaks,” the professor concluded.
Author: Agung Nugroho
Post-editor: Afifudin Baliya
Illustration: Nusantarapedia.net