A middle school in Mesquite, Texas, has launched an investigation into their school lunches after a student was reportedly served moldy cheese.
The unidentified student at Woolley Middle School, had already consumed some of the cheese but was stopped by a nearby classroom aide who noticed the mold, WFAA reported. The student was immediately taken to the nurse’s office and their parents were notified of the incident. An investigation was launched into Mesquite ISD on Thursday.
NOOO 🤢!! District officials said the student consumed a piece of the moldy cheese.
https://t.co/bTnuXjNE2Z— WFAA (@wfaa) February 10, 2023
The district told WFAA that the cheese in question was allegedly bought from the brand Land o’ Lakes and was set to expire in April. District officials said they are working with the company in investigating why the cheese molded before its expiration date.
“Our FNS staff are investigating the issue with the help of the manufacturer to determine why cheese would become moldy prior to the expiration date,” the district told WFAA. “The kitchen team followed its normal procedure of checking packaging for damage and the expiration date prior to serving.” (RELATED: New York Middle School Celebrates Black History Month With ‘Inexcusably Insensitive’ Meal)
As the cheese cubes are individually wrapped, they can’t be inspected without the packaging being opened. To prevent the incident from reoccurring, the district has decided to toss all the cheese on campus and will purchase the cheese from a different company.
Public school lunches are regularly criticized for being unhealthy and often appearing plain or even inedible. While certain kinds of cheese use mold to form a unique taste, others should be thrown out if molded. The effects of eating moldy cheese can include food poisoning, immune deficiency, and even cancer, according to Healthline.