Statement from School Nutrition Association on Food Safety of USDA Commodity Beef
January 30, 2008 -- The School Nutrition Association (SNA) asserts that all foods provided to students through the National School Lunch Program have been tested and inspected by USDA prior to school use. School nutrition professionals must rely on the USDA to ensure that food provided through the USDA Food Distribution Program (Commodity Program) is safe. SNA will be contacting USDA to address serious concerns raised over the alleged violations of food safety policy and practice identified by the Humane Society this morning.
Food products purchased by school nutrition professionals must be produced in compliance with appropriate federal and state food-safety laws and regulations. All vendors providing products for child nutrition programs are required to have satisfactory performance records. Any possible breach of safety and security by individuals’ or companies’ indicates the continued need for absolute diligence on all testing and inspections.
In school kitchens nationwide, school nutrition professionals maintain a superior food safety record through the use of trained staff and food safety procedures including HACCP (Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point) systems - a comprehensive approach to food safety that follows the flow of food through a foodservice operation to eliminate or reduce the risk of foodborne hazards. Among these procedures are examinations of foods as they are received by the kitchen as well as use of proper cooking and holding temperatures to ensure food is safe. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and Government Accountability Office (GAO) data on school-based foodborne illness outbreaks indicate school nutrition programs across the country maintain exceptional food safety records.