Food Safety and Nutritional Resilience in Islamic Boarding Schools: Strengthening Adolescent Reproductive Health in Coastal Indonesia

Abstract

Nutritional resilience and food safety are essential components of adolescent reproductive health, particularly within the socio-ecological setting of pesantren (Islamic boarding schools) in coastal regions like Jepara, Indonesia. Despite growing interest in pesantren health systems, the nexus between nutrition, food safety, and adolescent well-being remains insufficiently explored. This study investigates institutional food-related practices and adolescent adaptive behaviors in pesantren in coastal Jepara, with a focus on implications for reproductive health. A qualitative study was conducted involving in-depth interviews, focus group discussions, direct observation, and document review. Informants included pesantren administrators, food handlers, teachers, and female students. Thematic analysis was performed using NVivo software, grounded in public health and food systems theory. Key challenges identified include inconsistent hygiene practices, inadequate food safety knowledge, student reliance on processed foods, institutional constraints, and weak links to reproductive health education. Students reported fatigue, menstrual irregularities, and emotional instability, potentially linked to dietary inadequacies. Teachers recognized the relevance of nutrition to health but lacked training and curricular support. Addressing these challenges requires a multifaceted approach involving institutional reform, stakeholder engagement, nutrition education integration, and community-based food governance. A conceptual framework with four pillars nutritional resilience, food safety, reproductive health literacy, and institutional governance is proposed to strengthen adolescent health systems in pesantren. Keywords: food safety, nutritional resilience, adolescent health, reproductive health, coastal public health.