Lawmaker wants probe of E. coli and school lunches

WASHINGTON -- A California congressman is asking for an investigation into the risk of E. coli bacteria getting into school lunches.

California Rep. George Miller, who chairs the House Education and Labor Committee, is worried about a recent outbreak linked to ground beef produced by Fairbank Farm of Ashville, N.Y. that's blamed in at least two deaths.

No schools were involved in the outbreak. But, Miller says he worries that tainted food may be purchased for school meal programs.

Miller is asking Congress' investigative arm to see whether there are adequate protections for school meals at the local, state and federal level. He's also asked the Government Accountability

Office to compare the safety and quality of ground beef available to restaurants and other commercial buyers.

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