8. Keyport: Where’s the beef?
by MELISSA L. GAFFNEY, Staff Writer
Posted:01/01/09

Published: The Courier, March 20, 2008

Despite assuring the public since February that it has no recalled beef, Keyport High School recently destroyed cases of beef found in the cafeteria.

Board of Education (BOE) Secretary and Business Administrator Jo Ann Podracky was informed on Monday, March 3 that the high school received two and a half cases of recalled beef from a commodities provider.

Podracky announced at the BOE meeting on Wednesday, March 5 that “Keyport High School did receive bad beef,” but that it has been destroyed and beef was taken off all school menus.

The recalled beef came from a commodities provider whose meat came directly from the U.S. Government, Podracky explained. The beef Keyport received came from Port Newark, not from its lunch company provider, Maschio’s Food Management, Flanders, she said. “The lunch company had no idea. Originally, [the school district] was told it had no bad beef,” she added.

Podracky said the meat was destroyed at the high school on Monday, March 3, in accordance with the U.S. Dept. of Agriculture’s guidelines. The cafeteria manager and a lunch company representative were present, she said.

According to a USDA special announcement sent to school districts on Feb. 21, any school that received 50 cases or less of recalled beef was to destroy it immediately.

The Keyport school system has not served beef since it was notified of the recall on Feb. 14, Podracky noted. “[The district is] also not serving any beef during the month of March,” she said.

BOE Vice President Joanne Staeger noted that the school system immediately took beef off the menu when notified of the recall. “We have not served one ounce of beef since day one,” she said.

Podracky explained that the menu changes are precautionary measures, as there have been no reports of illness or complications due to the beef.

When schools do serve beef, typically beef is received in pre-cooked patties and beef crumbles, Staeger said. She also said that Keyport school kitchens are serving healthy alternatives, such as turkey tacos.

“[Kids] are eating a lot healthier than you even think they do,” said Staeger to a concerned parent at the board meeting. “As an employee of Maschio’s Food Management, I serve your kids every day and I ensure that what I am giving them I would eat myself.”         

The next Keyport BOE meeting will be held on Wednesday, April 2 at 7:30 p.m. in the Keyport Central School All-Purpose Room, 335 Broad St. For more information, call the BOE office at (732) 264-1321.                                 
Back