For Seven Foods, the Commodity Program’s Specifications Related to Microbial Contamination Are More Stringent Than Federal Regulations for Those Foods in the Commercial Marketplace

For 7 of the approximately 180 commodity foods offered to schools,  USDA’s commodity program has established purchasing specifications  with respect to microbial contamination that are more stringent than the  federal regulations for the same foods available in the commercial  marketplace. For example, the commodity program will not purchase raw  ground beef that tests positive for Salmonella. On the other hand, USDA  regulations for commercially available raw ground beef tolerate the  presence of a certain amount of Salmonella. Officials of USDA’s commodity program told us that more-stringent  standards are needed for certain foods in the commodity program because  commodity foods go to school-age children as well as populations, such as  very young children, who are considered at a higher risk than the general  population for serious complications from foodborne illnesses. While most of  the poultry items the commodity program provides to schools are  precooked, the program does provide raw, whole chickens cut into eight  pieces to schools. Some Other Large Purchasers of Raw Ground Beef Have Similar, More- Stringent, Purchasing Specifications, Although Certain Details Differ

The seven large purchasers of raw ground beef we interviewed (six large  private-sector purchasers—including grocery store chains and quick- service restaurants—and one large federal purchaser) relied on  purchasing specifications related to microbial contamination for raw  ground beef production, process oversight, and testing that were the same  or substantially similar to those used by USDA’s commodity program, with  variation in such things as the number or placement of required  antimicrobial interventions designed to reduce microbial contamination. These purchasing specifications are more stringent than  federal regulatory requirements. The committee was also asked by USDA to compare the commodity  program’s purchasing specifications to those used by other large  purchasers of raw ground beef. School Districts Must Follow Certain Food Safety Practices to Participate in Federally Funded School Meal Programs

To participate in federally funded school meal programs, federal  regulations require all school districts to, among other things, develop  written food safety plans and obtain food safety inspections of their  schools. Officials in nine of the school districts  we interviewed said that greater knowledge of these differences might  affect their future purchasing decisions. Program officials told us they selected products for more- stringent specifications for the seven commodity foods based on their  views of the safety risk associated with different types of food; that they  developed these specifications through informal consultation with a  variety of groups and individuals; and that they did not document this  process. Recommendations for Executive Action

To strengthen USDA’s oversight of the safety of food purchased by its  commodity program and served in federal school meal programs, we  recommend that the Secretary of Agriculture instruct the commodity  program to take the following three actions:    develop a systematic and transparent process to determine whether foods  offered by the program require more-stringent specifications related to  microbial contamination, including steps to: identify pathogens, strains of  pathogens, or other foods that merit more-stringent specifications;  document the scientific basis used to develop the specifications; and  review the specifications on a periodic basis;   share information with school districts in a more explicit form regarding  the foods covered by more-stringent purchasing specifications related to  microbial contamination to enable districts to make more informed  choices; and issue more specific guidance to states and school districts regarding the  applicability of the regulatory requirement for food safety inspections to  schools that do not prepare food. USDA  and HHS also provided technical comments. Specifically, we assessed (1) the extent to  which federal purchasing specifications related to microbial  contamination for food in the commodity program differ from federal  regulations for the same foods available in the commercial marketplace;  (2) the extent to which the commodity program’s purchasing  specifications related to microbial contamination for raw ground beef  differ from those imposed by large federal and private-sector purchasers;  and (3) examples of standards and practices that exist at the state and  school district level to help ensure that food procured by schools is not  contaminated by pathogens. We interviewed officials  from each of these purchasers and gathered documentation regarding  their purchasing specifications for boneless beef and ground beef.
Why GAO Did This Study

Through its commodity program, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) provides commodity foods at no cost to schools taking part in the national school meals programs. Commodities include raw ground beef, cheese, poultry, and fresh produce. Like federal food safety agencies, the commodity program has taken steps designed to reduce microbial contamination that can result in severe illness. GAO was asked to review (1) the extent to which the program's purchasing specifications related to microbial contamination differ from federal regulations, (2) the extent to which specifications for raw ground beef differ from those imposed by some other large purchasers, and (3) examples of schools' practices to help ensure that food is not contaminated. GAO compared the program's purchasing specifications to federal regulations for food sold commercially, gathered information from seven large purchasers of ground beef, and interviewed officials in 18 school districts in five states, selected in part because of their purchasing practices.

What GAO Found

For 7 of the approximately 180 commodity foods offered to schools, USDA's commodity program has established purchasing specifications with respect to microbial contamination that are more stringent than the federal regulations for the same foods in the commercial marketplace. For example, the commodity program will not purchase ground beef that tests positive for Salmonella bacteria, while federal regulations for commercially available ground beef tolerate the presence of a certain amount of Salmonella. Program officials told GAO that more-stringent specifications are needed for certain foods they purchase because they go to populations, such as very young children, at a higher risk for serious complications from foodborne illnesses. However, the program has not developed more-stringent specifications for some pathogens and foods that have been associated with foodborne illness, such as raw, whole chickens cut into eight pieces that the program provides to schools. Program officials told GAO they selected products for more-stringent specifications based on their views of the safety risk associated with different types of food; developed these specifications through informal consultation with a variety of groups; and did not document the process they used. The commodity program's purchasing specifications related to microbial contamination for raw ground beef at various processing stages are generally similar to those of some other large purchasers. The specifications used by both the commodity program and these large purchasers are more stringent than federal regulations. USDA's commodity program has several purchasing specifications related to microbial contamination for raw ground beef production, process oversight, and testing. For example, the program requires beef suppliers to take actions to reduce the level of pathogens at least twice while beef carcasses are processed. Some large purchasers of raw ground beef have purchasing specifications similar to the commodity program, although they differ in certain details. For example, of the seven large purchasers that GAO interviewed, five said they require their beef suppliers to take between two and seven actions to reduce pathogen levels on beef carcasses. While all school districts must follow certain food safety practices to participate in federally funded school meal programs, school districts that GAO interviewed have also implemented a number of additional food safety practices. Federal regulations require school districts to develop written food safety plans and to obtain food safety inspections of their schools, among other things. In addition, some of the school districts GAO interviewed have established purchasing specifications related to microbial contamination or food safety for food they purchase in the commercial marketplace, among other things. Nevertheless, few of the district officials GAO interviewed were aware that the commodity program's purchasing specifications for seven products are more stringent than federal regulatory requirements. Officials from half of the districts GAO interviewed said that greater knowledge of these differences would affect their future purchasing decisions by enabling them to make more informed choices.

What GAO Recommends

GAO recommends, among other things, that USDA strengthen its oversight of food purchased by its commodity program, by establishing a more systematic and transparent process to determine whether additional specifications should be developed related to microbial contamination. USDA generally agreed with GAO's recommendations and provided technical comments.