Twenty outbreaks of foodborne illness in schools were reported to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) during 1997; however, only 8 cases were associated with food served in the school meal programs. Preliminary findings identified nine outbreaks in 1998, affecting an estimated 1,609 individuals. CDC notes that such outbreaks are underreported for a variety of reasons. The report recommends that the Secretary of Agriculture expeditiously develop a database for continuously documenting all food safety actions taken on foods donated to the Department's food assistance programs, and also provide additional information to help schools develop food procurement contracts that further ensure food safety. An appendix contains a comment from the U.S. Department of Agriculture to the U.S. General Accounting Office. GAO comments supplementing those in the report text appear at the end of the appendix. (DFR)