Senators call for answers after recalled food products served to California students

SACRAMENTO – Following a joint hearing of their respective committees into the deadly nationwide salmonella outbreak, and concerned by testimony that contaminated products were served to California students, Senators Dean Florez (D-Shafter) and Gloria Romero (D-Los Angeles) are calling for immediate answers on that gap in food security.

The Senate Food and Agriculture and Senate Education committees heard testimony Thursday that 37% of recalled food products in the peanut butter scare had been served to children in our schools.  In addition, while the Department of Education knew of the contamination in January, a product hold was not issued until February.

Florez and Romero together sent a letter to Phyllis Bramson-Paul, director of the Nutrition Services Division at the California Department of Education, asking for detailed information on the timeline by which school districts were notified of the recall.  The letter also calls for details on which schools and districts served contaminated products, and which items were served.

“It is startling enough that these types of products can find their way into our schools’ cafeterias,” Florez said.  “It is completely unacceptable to allow unsafe food products to stay in our kids’ schools even one extra day when we have the knowledge to protect them.”

“Thousands of children depend on us each day for a safe and nutritious lunch,” said Romero.  “It is critical that school districts and the parents who count on us be notified immediately when there is a recall of this nature.”

*** Attached you will find today’s letter from Florez and Romero to the California Department of Education. ***
03-09-09 bramson-paul.pdf  

For Immediate Release                           Jennifer Hanson
March 9, 2009                                        916-651-4016

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