quester123
19-10-2007, 11:07 AM
Horror as maggots are found in school dinners
http://www.cambridge-news.co.uk/news/newmarket/2007/10/16/3eb45b26-85b1-48b5-a727-90e83366c53f.lpf
HORRIFIED parents have been told that maggots were served up in the curry their children were eating for school dinners.
The incident happened at Chalkstone Middle School in Haverhill where it is understood that kitchen
Parents were told that maggots, like the ones above, were served up in the curry of their children's school dinners
Parents were told that maggots, like the ones above, were served up in the curry of their children's school dinners
staff discovered the contaminated rice before it was served to pupils. A letter sent home to parents said that a 'naturally occurring parasite' had been found in the rice.
One parent said: "They said there was nothing to worry about and it won't happen again, but I think school dinners will be off the menu for a lot of children in the future. Parents I have spoken to were horrified and won't be sending their children for school dinners again.
"I think people would like to know more about how it happened to be reassured at all. My children have packed lunches and I think a lot of others will be doing the same."
A spokesman for Suffolk County Council said: "Rice parasites were discovered in a meal at Chalkstone Middle School and Technology College on 9 October.
"Thousands of meals are served in Suffolk schools every day and any incident such as this is extremely rare. These parasites feed on rice and any health risk is negligible.
"However, the meal option was immediately withdrawn and a cold lunch provided instead. Stocks of the product, which was well within its sell by date of April 2009, have been destroyed.
"Samples of the product and packaging have been examined by Environmental Health officers as part of an investigation which is ongoing."
Around 100 of the 440 pupils at Chalkstone eat school dinners supplied by the Suffolk County Catering service. Nigel Giles, head teacher at Chalkstone, declined to comment on the incident.
A spokesman for Forest Heath District Council said although the school involved was in the St Edmundsbury Borough Council district, the investigation had been passed on to Forest Heath's environmental health department because the contaminated rice had come from a warehouse in their district, although she could not confirm where.
"The investigation is underway and the school has destroyed its stock of rice. No further rice will be supplied until the investigation is completed.
"The environmental health team has made one visit to the warehouse and will be making more before making a full report. The warehouse does not supply the public, so no-one will be going there to buy a bag of rice."
The food scare comes at a time when pupils are being encouraged to eat school dinners as a healthier option to the crisps and cakes which can be found in packed lunch boxes, against a background of rising childhood obesity figures.
http://www.cambridge-news.co.uk/news/newmarket/2007/10/16/3eb45b26-85b1-48b5-a727-90e83366c53f.lpf
HORRIFIED parents have been told that maggots were served up in the curry their children were eating for school dinners.
The incident happened at Chalkstone Middle School in Haverhill where it is understood that kitchen
Parents were told that maggots, like the ones above, were served up in the curry of their children's school dinners
Parents were told that maggots, like the ones above, were served up in the curry of their children's school dinners
staff discovered the contaminated rice before it was served to pupils. A letter sent home to parents said that a 'naturally occurring parasite' had been found in the rice.
One parent said: "They said there was nothing to worry about and it won't happen again, but I think school dinners will be off the menu for a lot of children in the future. Parents I have spoken to were horrified and won't be sending their children for school dinners again.
"I think people would like to know more about how it happened to be reassured at all. My children have packed lunches and I think a lot of others will be doing the same."
A spokesman for Suffolk County Council said: "Rice parasites were discovered in a meal at Chalkstone Middle School and Technology College on 9 October.
"Thousands of meals are served in Suffolk schools every day and any incident such as this is extremely rare. These parasites feed on rice and any health risk is negligible.
"However, the meal option was immediately withdrawn and a cold lunch provided instead. Stocks of the product, which was well within its sell by date of April 2009, have been destroyed.
"Samples of the product and packaging have been examined by Environmental Health officers as part of an investigation which is ongoing."
Around 100 of the 440 pupils at Chalkstone eat school dinners supplied by the Suffolk County Catering service. Nigel Giles, head teacher at Chalkstone, declined to comment on the incident.
A spokesman for Forest Heath District Council said although the school involved was in the St Edmundsbury Borough Council district, the investigation had been passed on to Forest Heath's environmental health department because the contaminated rice had come from a warehouse in their district, although she could not confirm where.
"The investigation is underway and the school has destroyed its stock of rice. No further rice will be supplied until the investigation is completed.
"The environmental health team has made one visit to the warehouse and will be making more before making a full report. The warehouse does not supply the public, so no-one will be going there to buy a bag of rice."
The food scare comes at a time when pupils are being encouraged to eat school dinners as a healthier option to the crisps and cakes which can be found in packed lunch boxes, against a background of rising childhood obesity figures.