Mother claims raw chicken served at Manurewa High, school says chook was properly cooked

An Auckland woman claims her daughter was “stressed and anxious” after eating “raw” chicken in her free Manurewa High School lunch.

The parent, who asked not to be named, said her daughter had previously expressed concern to her about the chicken served at the free lunches being undercooked, however in the past she had not eaten it.

“Yesterday, she texted me quite stressed and anxious about it because she’d actually eaten yesterday’s meal as they were actually smaller chunks of chicken. And they had mashed potato and stuff so she ate some and then realised... ‘S***, it’s raw’.”

However, the school denies serving raw chicken, saying the meat was fully cooked and prepared to Ministry of Education guidelines.

Just last week at least 14 students at Kaitaia College became ill after eating raw chicken supplied by Bells Produce.

The ministry suspended the school lunch provider pending an investigation.

One mother told the Northern Advocate she had to take her son home after he ate some of the chicken tenders and experienced symptoms of salmonella poisoning.

The Manurewa mother told the Herald her daughter photographed the meal, which appeared to show pink flesh in the chicken.

“I was furious, I actually left work. It was about quarter to two, and I was so mad.”

The chicken the parent alleges was served to pupils. Photo / Supplied

She said she met the school’s principal and the person in charge of the meals this morning and he said the temperature checks were “all good on paper”.

At the meeting, she said the chef told her some companies “do different things” to chicken, which can cause the “pink tinge”.

“They were just assuring me that it’s all cooked to temperature, checks are done. I’m left in a spot where I’m like I just want to make sure the kids aren’t being served raw chicken.”

Although the mother believed the school had good intentions, and that it was “all good on paper”, she was responding to what her daughter told her and sent her.

“It’s not acceptable. I appreciate the scheme, the free meals. I’m a single mother, I’m broke and especially with food prices it’s so helpful and I appreciate that and I do get that they’re serving huge numbers.”

Principal Pete Jones told the Herald the chicken was “fully cooked and prepared to ministry guidelines and there have been zero food poisoning cases reported”.

The chicken the parent alleges was served to pupils. Photo / Supplied

He said the school lunch programme (SLP) served a quality hot food menu every day.

“The SLP is an amazing programme that really supports our rangatahi and whānau to ensure that every student has access to healthy, quality kai and never has to be hungry at school.

“I hope very much you will balance your reporting with the positive impact of the programme and the thousands of quality meals which are served each day.”

The chicken she claims was served to pupils. Photo / Supplied