It’s difficult to argue against protecting students from food-borne illness, but this investigation seems excessively biased against beef and E. coli . Experience tells us that a wide range of foods carry the potential for contamination. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention,“ The most commonly recognized food-borne infections are those caused by the bacteria Campylobacter, Sallmonella and E. Coli O157:H7, and by a group of viruses called calicivirus, also known as the Norwalk and Norwalk-like viruses.”  Also according to the CDC, Campylobacter and Salmonella are most commonly found in poultry products. Two of the biggest recent outbreaks of food-borne illness, and subsequent recalls, did not involve beef, with one caused by Salmonella in peanut products and the other E. coli in fresh greens. Also, a study released this week from the AMI Foundation shows the prevalence of E. coli O157:H7 in ground beef has declined 45 percent since 2000. Clearly, recent outbreaks and fatalities provide a stark reminder that the industry must do everything it can to eliminate E. coli O157:H7 from the food supply. It is not, however, the only cause of food-borne illness, and singling out beef for investigation seems more like a knee-jerk reaction to recent headlines than a genuine effort to protect food safety. - John Maday, Drovers managing editor

The full text of Miller's letter is below. 

Mr. Gene L. Dodaro
Acting Comptroller General
U.S. Government Accountability Office

Dear Mr. Dodaro:

I write because I remain concerned about the safety of our nation’s food supply and whether there is an undue risk for food contaminated with dangerous pathogens to be unknowingly purchased by schools for use in the school meal programs. In light of this concern, I ask that GAO investigate the food safety standards and procedures within the complex partnership of federal, state, and local entities responsible for ensuring the safety of food procured through commercial channels for use in the school meal programs.

In response to a request several fellow lawmakers and I made in the wake of highly publicized food recalls early last year, GAO issued a report in September focused upon food purchased for use in schools through the federal commodities program. While this report provides important information to help ensure the safety of the school meal programs, I am especially concerned about beef purchased on the commercial market and not through the federal commodity program that GAO focused upon in its September report. Recent media reports have drawn our attention yet again to significant recalls of contaminated ground beef that was available in the commercial marketplace. Although there are no reports of schools being implicated in any of the food safety illnesses related to this latest wave of recalls, I am concerned that the systems in place do not adequately minimize schools’ risk for procuring and providing contaminated product purchased through commercial channels for use in the school meal programs.

Accordingly, I respectfully request that GAO investigate whether sufficient protocols and standards exist at the federal, state, and local levels to ensure the safety of meat and other food procured by schools through commercial channels. Specifically, I ask that GAO compare the protocols and standards for ensuring the safety of foods made available to schools purchased through the federal commodity program to the protocols and standards for similar foods purchased from the commercial market. I also ask that GAO investigate whether there is any deficiency in the safety and quality of ground beef sold or made available to schools in the commercial marketplace compared to the safety and quality standards demanded by other buyers of the same product in the marketplace. 

Thank you for your attention to this issue.

Sincerely,

GEORGE MILLER

Committee on Education and Labor