Food Safety Issues Delay Whitsons Contract

Executives from Whitsons Culinary Group and a dozen NPS cafeteria workers attended this evening’s (July 7) Board of Education meeting to defend their company’s food management practices.

Whitsons has provided Norwalk schools with prepared lunch food for three years and its contract is up for renewal. The company is under scrutiny because earlier this year students at Naramake Elementary School became sick after eating macaroni and cheese prepared by Whitsons. In another incident a Naramake student with a peanut allergy had a severe reaction after eating a cookie that was supposed to be peanut free. The mother of the child recounted the incident to the BOE during the public comments section and was upset that her account was not included of any of the letters between school administrators and Whitsons.

Company officials explained that the macaroni may have spoiled during transportation, but they are not sure of the exact cause. They tried to assure the BOE that the company has stringent food safety procedures and that they are implementing a plan that will reduce the amount of time it takes to transport food. from its industrial kitchens in Long Island to schools in Norwalk. Doug Whitcomb, President of Whitsons told the BOE that in serving lunches to over 300,000 children in the Tri-State area this is the company’s first episode of food poisoning.

John Whitcomb, Whitsons’ Vice President of Merchandising and Concept Development told the BOE that company that provides the cookies had reported that it knew of no other similar incidents. Neither Whitsons nor the cookie manufacturer knows how the cookies from that batch could have been cross-contaminated with peanuts, he said.

Sonia Valasquez who works in the cafeteria agreed saying that the mac and cheese poisonings was “one mistake” that the Whitson’s team should not have to pay for it. In defending Whitson’s she said that in her experience since Whitson’s has been supplying food to Norwalk schools the quality of lunches has improved.

BOE members were divided on how to handle the matter. Board member Greg Burnett wanted to immediately renew Whitson’s contract, but fellow board member Amy Jimenez asked Whitson’s to document how they were going to improve their processes. She motioned to table the decision on whether to renew the contract until BOE’s next meeting on July 21.

The Norwalk Hour also has a story about last night’s meeting with more details about the peanut incident.

What has been your experience with lunches served at Norwalk schools?

Update: Whitson's spokesperson Holly Van Seggern says that the food served to students is usually prepared on site at the schools. If a school does not have a kitchen then the food is prepared at a central kitchen facility located at 352 Main Street and driven to the school in a vehicle owned and operated by the Board of Education.