A Christchurch school at the centre of this week's mouldy lunches debacle, has launched an internal inquiry

Haeata Community Campus discovered rotten food on Monday - after some children had already eaten.

Its principal disputes NZ Food Safety's ruling it's likely un-refrigerated food left over from last week was re-served to students.

Peggy Burrows says camera footage proves all food containers were collected and returned to the operator as required, with none left in the sun.

She says contaminated meals were found across multiple containers, contradicting the claims.

The school will release findings of its own investigation next week.