David Seymour Responds to Mouldy Meals Report, Criticizes School Leadership

The controversy surrounding mouldy meals at Haeata Community Campus in Christchurch has prompted strong reactions from New Zealand’s School Lunches Minister, David Seymour. Following the release of a report by New Zealand Food Safety (NZFS), Seymour indicated that the school’s principal, Peggy Burrows, must now accept accountability for the incident.

On December 1, 2023, a staff member discovered approximately 20 mouldy meals stored on the school premises. The NZFS investigation confirmed that these meals had likely been at the school for several days before being found. The report indicated that the meals were probably misplaced and left unrefrigerated over the weekend.

Details of the Investigation

The NZFS outlined that on the day of the discovery, Haeata Community Campus received 343 standard meals and 28 special dietary meals. These meals are delivered in insulated Cambro containers, each capable of holding up to 44 meals. The menu for that day featured savoury minced beef and potatoes, a repeat from the previous Thursday. Notably, no meals were delivered on November 28, as the school had a teacher-only day, which meant leftover meals were unlikely to have been included in the Monday delivery.

According to the report, the school had additional Cambro containers on site but lacked proper monitoring of their contents. After meals were distributed, some containers were returned to the cafeteria, where students accessed meals later. The NZFS concluded that the mouldy meals likely originated from inadvertently left-over meals in these cafeteria containers.

CCTV footage revealed that eight Cambro containers were delivered to Haeata Community Campus on November 27, with nine containers returned that same day. All of the mouldy meals were found in a single container, reinforcing the theory that improper handling within the school was the primary issue.

Response from Authorities

In light of the findings, Vincent Arbuckle, the deputy director-general of NZFS, stated that no ongoing food safety risk was associated with the School Lunch Collective. He emphasized that the investigation explored various scenarios, including the mishandling of meals and the potential reintroduction of leftovers.

Responding to the criticisms regarding food safety raised by some stakeholders, Seymour asserted, “There is no question here about food safety. People who have tried to say that have had to eat a different meal, which is humble pie.” He further added, “I think the findings speak for themselves,” as reported by Stuff.

In the aftermath of the report’s release, Haeata Community Campus has initiated its own internal investigation, which Burrows expects to conclude by the end of the week. The school has also been approached for comments regarding the situation.

The NZFS has recommended steps to enhance traceability, reporting, and handling processes for meals across schools and suppliers to prevent future occurrences. Parents and students have been assured that the matter has been adequately addressed and that there is no ongoing risk to food safety.