BEIJING - Although the school lunch program started by netizens has helped improve some rural students' nutrition, concerns over food safety and other factors still threaten the grassroots campaign.

"I am worried that the schools may not have the ability to conduct quality checks on the raw materials they have purchased for cooking," said Yu Jiantuo, program director of the China Development Research Foundation.

If an illness is linked to the food served at those schools, the government will cease allowing the free lunches to be distributed, Yu said.