PARENTS in the Petersfield area learned this week that their children were eating school dinners containing chicken imported from Thailand. Concern was voiced last week after parents in Alton discovered their children were eating school dinners containing the chicken. The discovery has come as a massive shock to the local parents, who say they feel let down by a system which was promoting healthy eating while importing chicken from a part of the world plagued by bird 'flu. While in no way condemning the schools themselves, or the in-house catering staff, their wrath was aimed squarely at Hampshire County Supplies (HC3S), the company commissioned by Hampshire County Council to supply the ingredients for school dinners. School dinner lady, Helen Pettitt, who has children at Alton County Infants and Anstey Junior School, said the food cooked by in- house school caterers always looked "very good". But she was "gobsmacked" when she discovered that they were using pre-cooked chicken flown in from Thailand. "It is causing a huge furore amongst parents in Alton. A lot of my friends have said they will stop their children eating chicken at school. And they are questioning where the other meat comes from," said Mrs Pettitt. Following the government's "Jamie Oliver" drive to try to encourage more children to eat healthier meals, schools have introduced new recipes with menus which are said to use freshly cooked, locally sourced, organic ingredients. Jane Cuff, who has a child at Andrews Endowed School, Holybourne, was among several Alton parents who have voiced concern. She said she found the news "unbelievable." "We don't eat chicken or turkey at home at the moment, so I was panic-stricken to think my child was being served chicken that has come from an area where bird 'flu is rife," she said. "Our government is meant to be protecting us, not sourcing the cheapest chicken they can get. If our children are ill it will fall to the National Health to look after them. It's false economy. "You have to question what more we are unaware of; it could be the tip of the iceberg". The big question being asked by parents was why, when chicken is produced in the UK, was it necessary to import meat from the Far East. HC3S has defended its food sourcing which, it said, it took "very seriously", having "rigorous methods in place for checking the quality of all the products used." The chicken HC3S used, was imported from Thailand by Crown Foods of Lymington, which has local offices in Thailand. According to an HC3S spokesman: "Crown Foods carefully monitors the production sites to see that they meet high standards and quality assurance. The Thai Depart-ment of Livestock Develop-ment also monitors, licences, inspects and analyses all products and facilities and there is absolute traceability of the origin of every product batch including on-farm records of feed and veterinary care." She continued: "Influenza is spread by the airborne virus from the lungs of infected people or animals being breathed in by the next victim. This avian variety can survive on feathers, usually in the dust, which helps to dry the virus particle and maintain it. This is why most, if not all, European countries have banned the trade in feathers from infected areas. Imports of feathered chicken from infected countries is banned in the EU. "HC3S would like to reiterate to parents that you cannot catch bird 'flu by eating chicken, you are only at risk of getting bird 'flu if you come into close contact with infected poultry and via their faeces or bodily fluids." HC3S says it sources food locally whenever possible. In a statement on Wednesday, the company said that 90 per cent of its pork and beef was supplied by Hunt's of Sherborne in Wiltshire and from Solent Butchers in Portsmouth. Beef burgers and meatballs were made by Pure Organics in Amesbury, Wiltshire, all beef coming from Aberdeen Angus cattle farmed in Petersfield and the surrounding area. Fish came from Solent Fish in Portsmouth and was locally caught when available, the company said. The leader of Hampshire County Council, Ken Thornber, said: "I give parents my full assurance that the chicken supplied by Hampshire County Council Catering Services is perfectly safe to eat. We are committed to providing schools with a quality service with traceable food products of a high standard. "No-one can catch avian 'flu from eating meat. The only way to catch this form of influenza is from contact with live birds. "The cooking process for the chicken and all the meats used is also completely safe and meets the regulations put in place by environmental health. "HC3S is an excellent service which has just been awarded the internationally recognised Hospitality Assured award for achieving service and business excellence in its school meals provisions." "Last year HC3S became the first and only school meals service to receive the Highest Standard Award from the Hyperactive Children's Support Group for its removal of 70 additives from the school menu. "We continue to strive toward improving our catering services and hope that these recognitions illustrate some of what has been achieved."