Naples– "Raw pizza, bitter zucchini, and sprouted tomatoes: we're desperate." This is the alarm raised by dozens of mothers of students at Fuorigrotta schools, including Minniti and Kennedy, who wrote to MP Francesco Emilio Borrelli (Green-Left Alliance) to denounce a situation they describe as "unsustainable" in terms of hygiene, sanitation, and food safety.
According to families, for weeks, children have been forced to eat poor-quality meals in unsanitary conditions. The complaints concern not only the cafeteria—run by a company based in Melito di Napoli—but also the school restrooms, described as "dirty, smelly, and poorly maintained." In one case, a cockroach was even spotted inside a bathroom.
Cafeteria food under accusation
Mothers talk about “tomatoes so old they’re sprouting, green beans that aren’t cleaned, courgettes that taste bitter and pizzas served still raw”.
In some circumstances, they say, the canteen staff even asked the children to check with their hands whether the food was edible before eating it.
“We can no longer accept that our children are exposed to such risks,” reads the letter sent to Borrelli.
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The intervention of the deputy Borrelli
"An urgent assessment by the local health authority (ASL) and the NAS (National Health Authority) is necessary," Borrelli stated. "School meals should be a moment of serenity, not a health risk. The images we received show a serious and intolerable situation, which requires immediate action."
The MP announced that he will submit a formal request for an extraordinary inspection to verify both the quality of the food provided and the hygienic conditions of the cafeterias and bathrooms in the schools in Fuorigrotta.
The indignation of the families
Anger is growing on local parents' social media groups: many are complaining about the lack of response from the school management and are calling for a review of the agreement with the contractor.
“It is unacceptable,” writes a mother, “that in 2025 our children must choose between eating or risking illness.”
The Fuorigrotta case joins a series of similar reports in other neighborhoods of Naples and reignites the debate over the quality of school lunch services, which are too often outsourced to companies that—parents complain—"cut costs at the expense of children's health."
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