Memorial High School students claim they were served moldy hot dogs

ELKHART, Ind.- Lunch came with a surprise on Tuesday for some kids who attend Elkhart Memorial High School.

A picture showing a questionable corn dog was sent to ABC57. We then took that photo to the director of food service for the Elkhart Community Schools.

Pam Melcher, the Director of Food Service, says she was aware of the problem but never received this specific image from a student.

“That’s why it’s so important because this one didn’t come back to us. We have to see this product to know,” says Melcher. “The manager at Memorial High School, food service called the office as soon as she received the complaint from the student.”

Melcher explains the protocol of when a student gives notice of something wrong with the food; the school takes care of it right then and there.

“We take those concerns very seriously,” she says. “The manager looked at everything and said everything looked good to her, but we didn’t want to continue to sell that product without having our vendors look at it and also the manufacturer.”

A sophomore at Memorial High School says one of his friends went down to the main office and reported the incident.

“They didn’t really say anything about it,” he says.

The student adds he actually took a bite out of this corn dog and felt like something wasn’t right.

“When I went to take it out of my mouth and we had saw it was green and it had some brown to it and then we looked around and saw others with the same type of greenness to their hot dog.”

But Melcher reassures staff follows a specific procedure to give students the best quality of food.

“When product comes in, new product, is going to go behind the product that’s already there. When an employee brings out the case and brings it out front they’re going to check the date of that product,” she says.

Melcher adds they will send out this picture the corn down out to the vendor and manufacturer to get a better explanation of what that green area could be.

“We want to serve our students nothing but quality food,” says Melcher.

The student says he knows of at least 12 others who reportedly didn’t feel well after eating the corn dogs served at lunch.

ABC57 will continue to stay in contact with Elkhart Community Schools for the response of the vendor and manufacturer.