All News / /

FOLLOW UP: School Lunch Secrets

(KSDK) - NewsChannel 5 has uncovered some alarming complaints about school lunches served to children in Missouri and Illinois.

We found most of the food served to local children perfectly safe. But not all of it.

The USDA buys about 30 million pounds of food for school cafeterias every year. We examined the regional complaints from 2001 to 2003.

Illinois and Missouri have the most complaints.

Students found chocking hazards like wire and rubber pieces in hamburger patties.

In Illinois, students found buckshot in their hamburger.

In Missouri, some students found bones in tacos and rodent droppings on cheese.

Hazelwood and Pattonville reported in 2002 ground beef that looked white.

Jean Daniel, a public affairs specialist with the USDA said, "about three percent of all outbreaks of foodborn illness occur in the national school lunch program."

Overall, The USDA spokesperson said, food is safe.

Daniel said, "It's a small amount. That is not to say we don't take that small amount seriously. Any one complaint is too much for us."

The USDA does not have a public database listing types of food complaints. Currently, there are no plans to create one. A spokesperson with the USDA said anyone could request a free copy of these documents through the complaint hotline.

Toll-free hotline number: 1-800-446-6991

or e-mail: commoditycomplaints@fns.usda.gov

Get Help

Affected by an outbreak or recall?

The team at Marler Clark is here to answer all your questions. Find out if you’re eligible for a lawsuit, what questions to ask your doctor, and more.

Get a free consultation
Related Resources
E. coli

...

E. coli Food Poisoning

What is E. coli and how does it cause food poisoning? Escherichia coli (E. coli) is a highly studied, common species of bacteria that belongs to the family Enterobacteriaceae, so...

E. coli O157:H7

E. coli O157:H7 is a foodborne pathogen that causes food poisoning. E. coli O157:H7 is the most commonly identified and the most notorious Shiga toxin-producing E. coli (STEC) serotype in...

Non-O157 STEC

Non-O157 Shiga Toxin-Producing E. coli can also cause food poisoning. E. coli O157:H7 may be the most notorious serotype of Shiga toxin-producing E. coli (STEC), but there are at least...

Sources of E. coli

Where do E. coli O157:H7 and non-O157 Shiga toxin-producing E. coli (STEC) come from? The primary reservoirs, or ultimate sources, of E. coli O157:H7 and non-O157 STEC in nature are...

Outbreak Database

Looking for a comprehensive list of outbreaks?

The team at Marler Clark is here to answer all your questions. Find out if you’re eligible for a lawsuit, what questions to ask your doctor, and more.

View Outbreak Database