FOOD QUALITY ASSESSMENT AND ITS ASSOCIATION WITH VEGETABLE PLATE WASTE IN THE FREE NUTRITIOUS MEAL PROGRAM AT SMP NEGERI 30 BATAM

Indonesia

Abstract

 The Free Nutritious Meal Program (Program Makan Bergizi Gratis/MBG) is an initiative to provide meals for students in order to meet their nutritional needs in accordance with health standards and local dietary habits. One of the challenges in implementing this program is the high level of food waste. Food quality is one of the factors that may influence the amount of food waste generated. Preliminary findings showed that the highest percentage of food waste came from vegetable dishes, reaching 81.5%, which exceeded the recommended maximum limit (<20%). This study aimed to analyze the effect of food quality on vegetable dish food waste in the Free Nutritious Meal Program at SMPN 30 Batam. A cross-sectional study design was employed with a sample of 92 students selected through simple random sampling. Data were collected using a food quality assessment questionnaire and food waste measurements using the food weighing method. Data were analyzed using logistic regression. The results showed a significance value of 0.352 (p>0.05), indicating that there was no significant effect of food quality on vegetable dish food waste. The Odds Ratio (OR) value of 0.580
indicated a tendency for good food quality to reduce the likelihood of food waste; however, the association was not statistically significant. Food quality had no significant effect on vegetable dish food waste in the Free Nutritious Meal Program at SMPN 30 Batam. Nutrition education and evaluation of other factors potentially influencing food waste are recommended to improve students' vegetable consumption.