Burrows said when the teacher opened their lunch, they realised the food looked like it had \u201cgone off\u201d.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe immediately stopped everything and went out and gathered up as many as we could and took them from children,\u201d Burrows said.<\/p>\n
\u201cBut some of the ones that were already in the waste disposal unit had been opened and some of the content had been eaten.\u201d<\/p>\n
Burrows said she had requested parents and caregivers to monitor their children for any symptoms of food poisoning.<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2018m saying to parents they need to be checking the children when they get home, in case they\u2019ve ingested enough of it to give them food poisoning.\u201d<\/p>\n
Burrows said no children had \u201cany visible signs of food poisoning\u201d and that a registered nurse from the school had been visiting classes to check on students.<\/p>\n
Compass Group NZ and Gilmours form a partnership to supply meals under the School Lunch Collective.<\/p>\n
Burrows said the Compass Group was the provider of the contaminated lunches but of two batches provided to the school, only one appeared to have mould.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe alerted them immediately,\u201d Burrows said.<\/p>\n
\u201cObviously, I\u2019m sure that they would be horrified.<\/p>\n
\u201cI honestly don\u2019t know how this has happened, but it\u2019s totally unacceptable.\u201d<\/p>\n
Burrows said the provider\u2019s \u201cmost senior person\u201d was on their way to the school.<\/p>\n
Helen Hurst, Haut\u016b (Leader) Operations and Integration, Ministry of Education, said they were investigating the incident. <\/p>\n
\u201cWe have been in touch with the school,\u201d she said. <\/p>\n
\u201cThere are no reports of student illness. We have advised the school to monitor students, and any illness is to be reported to Te Whatu Ora.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe are working with MPI on this investigation. No other school has reported any issues with today\u2019s lunches.\u201d<\/p>\n
A School Lunch Collective spokesperson said they were working with the school and MPI to better understand what has happened. <\/p>\n
\u201dWe take pride in our food quality and know this is something that cannot be compromised. <\/p>\n
\u201cOur kitchens are verified and audited regularly by an independent MPI-verified provider, and we follow the Food Act, Food Control Plans and related regulations. <\/p>\n
\u201cThese measures have been in place since the beginning of the programme.\u201d<\/p>\n
The Compass Group has been approached for comment.<\/p>\n