A statement according to which the incident is under investigation and samples of the school meals, from which it appears that 63 students from seven Primary Schools of Lamia suffered food poisoning, have been sent to the Chemistry for laboratory analysis, their supply company issued.

“We are waiting for the relevant findings of the audits being carried out and we declare that in the event that it arises, any fault on our part, even the slightest fault, implies that we assume our responsibility and its consequences”, he emphasizes.

At the same time, OPECA intervened regarding the incident.

As specifically emphasized, all the prescribed control procedures in the schools and in the company that prepares, packs and distributes the school meals in the primary schools of Lamia, were initiated by the Ministry of Social Cohesion and Family and OPECA.

The announcement of the company that supplied the school meals:

Yesterday 16-5-2024 cases of gastroenteritis occurred in a number of primary school students in the Municipality of Lamia.

The event is allegedly linked to the consumption of school lunch, which is produced and distributed by our company. The matter is already being investigated with due responsibility, as foreseen, based on the applied procedures and protocols, by the necessary bodies and competent authorities, to whom we provide any information and evidence requested of us.

Samples have already been sent to the Chemistry for laboratory analysis. This event, unprecedented for our company, as its like has never occurred in its more than thirty years of presence in the field of feeding, needs special attention and investigation, as out of a total of 2033 portions distributed, it occurred in a limited number of cases.

Regardless of our company’s responsibility or not, we express our sorrow and support to the children and parents. We await the relevant findings of the audits carried out and declare that in the event that arises, any fault of ours, even the slightest fault, it is understood that we assume our responsibility and its consequences.

OPECA’s announcement:

Immediately after the recording of the incidents and the parents’ complaint, the Ministry of Social Cohesion and Family and OPECA initiated all the prescribed control procedures in the schools and in the company that prepares, packs and distributes the school meals in the primary schools of Lamia.

Particularly:

An inspection team was immediately set up by the Regional Directorate of Central Greece of OPEKA, which immediately collected samples of the food from school units and also from a parent, which were sent for examination to the laboratory of the Regional Health Directorate of Thessaly.

The Health Supervisor of the Lamia Health Department coordinated an inspection team to immediately perform an autopsy at the economic operator’s production unit.

The Governor of OPECA contacted EFET and EODY in writing and requested an immediate audit regarding the manufacturing process and compliance with all the rules provided for.
The results of the audits are awaited for further actions.

It is noted that through the School Meals program hot meals are distributed to 217,267 primary school students throughout the country every day.

The selection of the companies that implement the OPECA school meals program is done through an open electronic competition, which defines strict specifications and control stages during the process of preparing, packaging and distributing the meals.

It is recalled that with symptoms of food poisoning went to the Lamia Hospital on the evening of Thursday, May 16, at least three (3) people, including the two children, who had consumed food from the school lunches that were distributed on the same day in various elementary schools.

Indicatively, only in the 7th Primary School there are at least 15 recorded cases, with persistent vomiting and diarrhoea, while the number of children with similar symptoms from the Moschohori Primary School and the 14th Primary School is also large. Incidents were also reported at Kompotados – Mexiaton Municipal.

“My little boy within less than half an hour of eating the food from the package (S.LR: spaghetti with minced meat) collapsed from stomach pain and started vomiting. It had changed its color,” described to LamiaReport, the mother of an 8-year-old who had the misfortune to try it.

“My son goes to primary school, but my 3-year-old daughter tried the food and immediately started vomiting”, another mother who spent a nightmarish day and night at her baby’s head tells us.

“I’m going to file a lawsuit today,” the father of an 8-year-old boy who spent the entire previous day with vomiting and diarrhea and didn’t go to the hospital at the last minute told LamiaReport.

However, apart from the specific parent who contacted our online newspaper and confirmed that he will take legal action, the entire 7th Grade Parents and Guardians Association will inform the Primary Prosecutor’s Office requesting intervention to protect their children.

The Directorate of Primary Education and the Regional Directorate of Education are also informed of the incident, as the school meals program is implemented throughout the Mainland and beyond.