Eleven cases of fully cooked beef patties have been pulled from six Forsyth County schools while the USDA investigates complaints about a California meat company.

About 30 school systems in the state are taking similar steps. They're not being asked to return or dispose of the meat, but to put it "on hold" pending an investigation into an advocacy group's complaints of possible animal abuse by Westland Meat Co.

Susan Woods, director of food and nutrition services for Forsyth County schools, said all school inventories were inspected, and the 11 cases of beef patties had the specific code number identified as coming from Westland. They were found at Chestatee Elementary, Coal Mountain Elementary, Little Mill Middle, North Forsyth Middle, South Forsyth Middle and Liberty Middle, the school system said in a posting on its Web site.

The school system said the beef patties were received during August and September, 2007, which is earlier than the shipping dates of October 2007 to January 2008 that have been reported.

"This is not a recall where they have proven contamination, but it is a hold until the investigation has been completed and findings disclosed," Woods said.

The state Department of Education said earlier this week that more information could be available from the USDA next week.