Source:   Michael Fielding, MEATINGPLACE.COM, 5/4/11

The USDA commodity program, which provides foods to schools taking part in national school meals programs, will no longer buy ground beef that has tested positive for Salmonella.

This, according to new recommendations released by the U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO), which has completed its review of the extent to which the program’s purchasing specifications differ from federal regulations in regard to microbial contamination, including specifications for raw ground beef.

The commodity program now has established purchasing specifications for 7 of the 180 commodity foods offered to schools regarding microbial contamination, making them more stringent than federal regulations for the same foods in the commercial marketplace.

For a closer look at the changes, click here.
 

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