Andalusian school canteens saga: catering provider pledges to offer 'more appetising' meals and increase number of tasting sessions for families

This discontent has manifested in protests, with demonstrations at schools, petition drives and formal complaints lodged with the Andalusian regional government's department of education.

Small portions, unappetising meals and poor-quality food are the most common complaints from parents. Most of them have one thing in common: the company Mediterránea de Cátering. This multinational holds the contract for the majority of school canteens in Andalucía: more than 600 across the region and around 120 in Malaga province, accounting for roughly 40 per cent of all schools.

Mediterránea operates the service using both the "cold chain" method, where meals are prepared in a central kitchen, rapidly chilled and then transported to the schools, and in on-site kitchens. The infamous 'pisto' video resulted in disciplinary proceedings and a fine due to the incidents reported at schools in Cordoba.

Mediterránea is, for the time being, still providing the service as normal and is looking for ways to address the criticism from families. The company has made very few public statements in response to all the criticism, although it is trying to convey a message of understanding to families.

The provider has acknowledged that anything to do with children's meals "is a particularly sensitive issue". Sources have stated that they are stepping up production and service controls and have proposed "changes to the menus to include dishes that are more appealing to children".

Many of the complaints Sur has received across the province stem from the fact that children are leaving the canteen hungry because they do not like the food. Last month, regional minister of education María del Carmen Castillo acknowledged: "Sometimes the menus don't seem appealing to us because they are very strictly regulated in terms of carbohydrates and the type of food served, which has to be very balanced. Sometimes they aren't visually appealing, but they are healthy because regional health ministry is regulating them."

Mediterránea says it has taken note and will change the menus, although it has not specified what these changes will entail. It has stated that it is organising meetings with schools, federations and parents' associations to listen to their concerns and try to address them.

"We also share the raised issues and proposals with the regional government, with the aim of facilitating dialogue between families, schools and the education authorities and helping to identify possible improvements," Mediterránea said.

Another area where Mediterránea is looking to improve is opening its canteens to families. Although Andalusian regulations prevent free access to canteens for people not involved in the service, families are entitled to take part in tasting sessions or organised visits, provided they give prior notice and obtain authorisation from the catering company and the school.

In addition, school associations may set up a canteen committee to monitor the service. However, access to the canteen is not always straightforward and depends on the company's flexibility. Mediterránea has confirmed that it will increase the number of tasting sessions so that parents can sample the canteen menus.

So far, 152 tasting sessions have taken place since the start of the school year in Andalucía, across the more than 600 canteens Mediterránea operates. In Cordoba, the company is set to begin holding regular meetings with families as pupils leave school, to provide them with first-hand information about the service.

Mediterránea has promised to review its procedures in accordance with the requirements of the contract and the relevant regulations. It does, however, hold that the tests carried out to date "have not identified any food safety risks".

In Malaga, the provincial education department is also investigating complaints from several schools where Mediterrénea operates. It has so far not detected serious incidents, such as the case in Cordoba or the one that occurred in Granada in September, when pupils at a school found maggots in the rice in the canteen.

In light of these cases, consumers' organisations such as Facua Andalucía consider it necessary to review the service contract "and assess the possibility of terminating the contract in view of Mediterránea de Catering's constant breaches".

The regional government stepped up monitoring of school canteens at the start of the new school year and the health, sanitation and consumer affairs inspection service of Malaga city council is also carrying out inspections as part of the programme to assess the food in school canteens.

Read comprehensive regional education and school news