I’ve written about some questionable school lunch safety issues before and so I was excited to see that the U.S. Department of Agriculture will be launching new school lunch safety rules this summer. According to the USA Today, this will be the most comprehensive change to the school lunch safety program in a decade.
The first step in these changes is not surprising – stronger beef safety standards. Recall after recall in this country is related to the nation’s beef supplies and so it is a natural first choice for reform. The stronger beef standards will be implemented in July and then new standards for poultry, eggs, and produce will follow suit.
“The USDA reforms, announced Feb. 4, focus largely on how beef and other foods bought for schools are tested for salmonella, E. coli O157:H7 and other contaminants. The department will commission research, including a study by the National Academy of Sciences, to ensure that its testing standards meet those of the most selective commercial buyers, Morris said. He serves as a deputy administrator of the Agricultural Marketing Service, the USDA branch that buys meat and poultry for the school program.” Source: USA Today
Now stronger food safety rules are great but I wish that the school lunch program would migrate to an organic or at least sustainable food model. Even with the school lunch requirements enacted, these lunches are still comprised of less than desirable food products and may not be doing much to help with our nation’s childhood obesity rate.
Photo: Micah Sitting
{ 3 comments… read them below or add one }
At this point, I think the only way to make sure your kids school lunch is safe is to pack it yourself.
Exactly!
Indeed; however it’s somewhat good finally seeing schools offering a more “healthy” rules