US to raise standards for school beef

May 15, 2010|Associated Press

WASHINGTON — Ground beef purchased by the federal government for school cafeterias will have to meet higher safety standards by July, officials said yesterday.

The Agriculture Department announced the new standards for all ground beef bought for schools by its Agricultural Marketing Service, which applies to beef used in federal food and nutrition programs.

The standards will force producers to test the beef for contamination more often and will prohibit certain trimmings from being used.

The USDA will also prohibit the purchase of beef produced on the same day that E. coli O157 or salmonella is found through testing at a plant.

The department announced in February that the National Academy of Sciences will review the government’s beef purchases.

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