In September 2010, health inspectors found mouse droppings in a dry storage area in the cafeteria at East Lyme High School, wet wiping cloths stored on the counter and other health violations.

In December 2010, the Dumpsters at Winthrop Elementary School in New London were uncovered and overflowing.

In New Haven last year, many schools were inspected fewer than the three times a year required under state regulations. One school, Nathan Hale Elementary, had an inspection in March that found chicken was being served to children at a temperature where it can carry bacteria. Inspectors did not go back to the school to re-inspect until December, when they found the same problem.

Although health inspectors reported few problems with the school cafeterias in Stonington, town sanitarian Karen Weiss was blunt in discussing her department's challenges: "We haven't kept up with the inspections in the last couple of years. There are just not enough bodies. ... I talk to health inspectors across the state, and food service is one of the first things to slide as budgets are cut."

A C-HIT review of more than 1,700 inspection reports from 103 cities and towns in 2010 found that many local health agencies, responsible for ensuring that school cafeterias are safely preparing and serving food to children, are not meeting the state Public Health Code on mandated annual inspections. Of the 38 health agencies overseeing those towns, at least half were not meeting the state requirement, the review shows.

In addition to failing to meet the required number of inspections, the review found that timely re-inspections of cafeterias cited for violations were rare.

Also, the state Department of Public Health has not taken steps to proactively enforce state requirements on local health departments but instead investigates complaints.

As a result, Connecticut parents know less than they should about the way food in schools is prepared and served, food safety experts said.

"We think inspections are a critical control point in controlling food-borne illness," said Sarah Klein, staff attorney for the Food Safety Program at the Center for Science in the Public Interest in Washington, D.C. "We see the control of food-borne illness as something that has preventive steps and reactive steps. Inspections are part of the prevention."

Budget, staff cuts lead

to noncompliance

Under state regulations, school cafeterias are to be inspected by local health departments one to four times a year, depending on how they are classified. A majority are classified as a three or a four, which require three or four inspections yearly.

While some towns - such as Manchester, Cromwell, Meriden, and those in the Uncas Health District and the Central Connecticut Health District - are in compliance, dozens of others are not, the review found. Budget cuts, shrinking staff and a growing number of inspection responsibilities are among the key reasons that local departments cite for not meeting the inspection requirements.

Among the towns and districts failing to meet the requirements in 2010 are Hartford, New Haven, Stamford, Waterbury, West Hartford-Bloomfield and the Ledge Light Health District, which covers five municipalities in New London County, among others.

Repeated attempts to speak with Ledge Light Health District officials were unsuccessful.

In Stamford, Ronald Miller, an environmental health inspector for city's health department said, "We try our best to inspect the schools at least twice a year. We are not in compliance."

Last year, the Stamford department lost two inspectors and was down two more inspectors because of leaves of absence. "We have so many mandates, we can't make this work," Miller said. "We are just overwhelmed.''

New Haven's Environmental Health Director Paul Kowalski said he was just trying to hang on to the staff he has, citing a long list of department responsibilities, including day care inspections, responding to public nuisance complaints, inspecting 24 public pools, and doing education and outreach on West Nile virus.

High scores often hide serious violations

The inspection reports gathered by C-HIT showed violations ranging from evidence of rodents and insects, to no hot water at the hand-wash sink, to no sneeze guards at the serving area, to dirty floors and walls.

Four-point violations are the most serious and were noted in at least 100 schools in 2010. Improper food temperatures, food stored improperly and hand-washing facilities not working are among the four-point violations.

Perfect scores of 100 were given to about 200 schools in 2010. Most school inspection reports showed scores in the 90s.

But in addition to lags in meeting inspection requirements, the system of scoring can camouflage some serious violations, the C-HIT review found. Schools with ratings in the 90s could have one or two four-point deductions, the records show. McGee Middle School in Berlin had a four-point violation for improper food temperatures but scored a 93. Honeyspot House Elementary in Stratford scored a 96 with one four-point violation in January for an equipment problem.

Also, some violations that the public might consider serious - such as evidence of rodents or insects - are only a two-point deduction, under state rules. Manchester Regional Academy scored a 97 in December 2010, despite evidence of rodent activity in the kitchen. Harbor Elementary School in New London scored a 90, despite mouse droppings found in the kitchen's dry storage area, and Lillie B. Haynes Elementary School in East Lyme scored a 91 even though dead bugs and cobwebs were found in the storage area of its kitchen.

In interviews, some local health department inspectors said their towns were in compliance, even though records indicated that the required number of inspections spanned two calendar years.

William Gerrish, a spokesman for the state Department of Public Health, said the agency conducts investigations of complaints it receives concerning local health departments. "The department, depending on its findings, offers technical assistance, conducts food service inspections audits and provides education to support compliance with state regulations,'' Gerrish said.

He added, "Clearly there are challenges that local health departments face in keeping up with their inspection schedule. Most importantly, the health and safety of our children should be our No. 1 priority. If they are not being inspected as often as they should, we will work with the local health departments to evaluate the program and determine a solution. During this time, food establishments should be inspected according to priority of risk, and most importantly, the quality of inspections must not be compromised."

This story was reported by the Connecticut Health Investigative Team (www.c-hit.org), under an agreement with The Day.

Margaret Lohmiller and Briana Dudas are Quinnipiac University interns. Lynne DeLucia, C-HIT editor, and reporter Uma Ramiah contributed to this report.

More information

To access the school cafeteria database for inspection information on your child's school, go to

www.c-hit.org and write school cafeterias in the search area at the top of the website.