Spoiled food found at Denver elementary school concerns parents

A Denver mother says her children were served expired food at their elementary school. She's among the parents who expressed concerns after a recent health inspection confirmed the presence of spoiled items.

Jenny Rios, a mother of two students at Samuels Elementary School, said she has been raising concerns about food quality at the school for nearly a year. She believes the issue may have contributed to her children becoming ill.

Rios said her concerns began after she discovered her 5-year-old son had been given expired applesauce at school. She said he later experienced ongoing stomach issues.

"That's when I noticed it was expired, and he's been having constant stomach issues," Rios said.

She alleges the problem has persisted, with parents sharing photos that appear to show moldy fruit, outdated packaged items and food past its expiration date.

"All year long, we've been trying to talk to the principal and teachers," Rios said. "We don't know if any changes have been made, so we've been packing food for them to take to school instead of eating there."

The Denver Department of Public Health & Environment conducted an inspection at the school on April 14 in response to a complaint. According to the inspection report, officials found the school in violation for having spoiled or contaminated food. The report noted that two mandarin oranges with visible mold were discovered and immediately discarded. Staff also received guidance on identifying and removing spoiled produce.

Health officials said no expired packaged food items were found during the inspection and that the facility was otherwise in compliance with food safety requirements. No ongoing risk was identified, and no reinspection was required.

In a statement to CBS Colorado, the department also said it has not received any reports of foodborne illness associated with the school but encouraged families to report suspected cases by calling 311 or submitting a report online.

DDPHE routinely inspects school kitchens and investigates complaints as they are received. In this case, we responded to a complaint about potentially spoiled food and conducted an on-site inspection on April 14.

During the inspection, we identified two mandarin oranges with visible mold. Those items were immediately discarded, and staff received additional guidance on properly identifying and removing spoiled produce. No expired packaged food items were found, and the facility was otherwise in compliance with food safety requirements, with no ongoing risk identified.

Denver Public Schools said it is aware of the concerns raised by the school community and emphasized that student health and safety are a top priority.

In a statement, the district said its Food and Nutrition Services department manages kitchen operations and has addressed the issue identified in the inspection. The district added that it is working with health officials and plans to hold a community discussion about food services in the near future.

Denver Public Schools (DPS) is aware of the concerns raised by the Samuels Elementary community regarding food quality and the recent report from Denver Department of Public Health & Environment (DDPHE). The health and safety of our students is our absolute priority, and any report of substandard food service is taken with the utmost seriousness.

While our principals are the instructional leaders of our schools, our Food & Nutrition Services department manages the technical operations of our kitchens. Therefore, the district is handling the specifics of this matter to allow the principal to remain focused on student learning and supporting families.

DPS is committed to ensuring that all food safety protocols are strictly followed. Additionally, DPS is working in full transparency with DDPHE and immediately addressed the only deficiency that was noted in their report. DDPHE did not issue a summons and no re-inspection was required.

We strive to serve our students nutritious, high-quality meals every day, and we are committed to rebuilding the trust of the Samuels Elementary community. In the near future, DPS will hold a community discussion about food services within the school community.

Despite those assurances, Rios said she plans to continue packing lunches for her children.

"I just want this to be over," she said.