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APRIL 5, 2001

Saying the standard was not based on scientific fact, the Bush administration said yesterday it will reverse a policy that required all ground beef used in a government school lunch program to be free of salmonella, a dangerous bacteria.

The standard was instituted by the Department of Agriculture during the Clinton administration. Any beef that tested positive for salmonella was not allowed to be used for the 26 million children who participate in the program.

The meat industry protested the "zero tolerance" standard because they said cooking beef properly will eliminate salmonella.

The new administration says new steps would be taken to ensure beef is free of salmonella throughout the meat process. Also, beef could be irradiated to kill bacteria.

The National School Lunch Program provides lunches to mostly low-income and minority children.

Get the Story:
USDA Proposes to Reverse School Ground Beef Rules (The Washington Post 4/5)

Relevant Links:
National School Lunch Program - http://www.fns.usda.gov/cnd/Lunch/Default.htm