The Department of Education is finally phasing out unhealthy lunch and breakfast items containing dangerously high levels of sodium and fat — which it promised to ban from school menus over a year ago, The Post has learned.
School officials said the fatty, salty and preservative-filled items would be expelled from cafeterias in September.
But through last June, unsuspecting school kids were still gobbling up chemicals like azodicarbonamide — a controversial “foaming agent” found in yoga mats, which Subway recently took out of its bread after public outcry — in products such as Palagonia whole-wheat heroes and JJ Cassone French bread, a review of nutritional information for lunchroom menu items reveals.
J.J Cassone Bakery vice president Greg Mancuso told the Post the company voluntarily removed azodicarbonamide from February to May 2014 after articles about Subway’s use of the chemical bread came out.
Despite the fact that DOE requires its distributors to confirm that the foods are low in fat and sodium, students also ate artery-clogging grub like Papetti’s cooked frozen cheese omelettes and Pilgrim’s Pride chicken patties — which has more calories and salt than a four-piece order of McDonald’s Chicken McNuggets.
Since fall 2013, the Department of Education has phased out at least 24 objectionable items. But at least 12 remained through the summer.
At first the DOE refused to say when it would eliminate the remaining items, but following a Freedom of Information Act request by The Post, the agency gave a more definitive date — while defiantly noting that those foods still appeared in supermarkets and school districts across the country.
“We are proud of our record of providing healthy meals to students,” said DOE spokeswoman Marge Feinberg. “The DOE has been ahead of the curve to ensure healthy meals are available.”
“We are working to continually improve the food options in our schools,” she added.
But food experts said some of the city’s menu items turned their stomachs.
“We have to change the way we do things,” warned nutritionist Dr. Joel Fuhrman. “Soda, sugar and white flour can lead to addictive consumption, and the low-nutrient foods we’re feeding children can lead to decreased intelligence, aggressive behavior, and increased risk of depression and chronic illnesses.”
Other health advocates say they would be surprised if the city made radical changes to its cafeteria menus.
“Processed food is still going to be cheaper, and unfortunately they’re all driven by money rather than by health,” said food educator Dr. Susan Rubin. “Until we start to set real standards for ingredient integrity, that’s how the game is going to be played.”