Gross cafeteria discovery leaves bad taste for some students

ST. LOUIS (KTVI) – It's being called a bad case of apple juice at McKinley Middle and High School in the St. Louis Public School District. Some students found a Jello-like substance inside their apple juice containers.

Some parents and students say the substance looks like mold. Thirty-nine of the apple juice containers were served to students during breakfast Thursday morning, shortly after 22 students complained that they were feeling sick and were seen by the school nurse. Three students had to go home for the day.

St. Louis Public School officials say the school received the standard shipment of apple juice from Southwest Food Services on Wednesday as usual. According to the district, the apple juice was already thawed and the shelf-life of the thawed apple juice is approximately 21 days.

The apple juice was set to expire on April 4. Officials believe a temperature change during the manufacturing or distribution of the apple juice may have caused the problem.

"We immediately had the apple juice containers pulled off the serving line at McKinley and we are going to test those apple juices to see if there's anything harmful in (them)," said Patrick Wallace, a spokesperson for the St. Louis Public School District.

The district is working with the food service provider to find answers. Parents district-wide were notified about the incident and should learn the results of the tests by early next week.

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