CAIRO (AP) — Egypt's education ministry has suspended the distribution of school meals nationwide after several outbreaks of food poisoning sickened hundreds of children in several provinces.

The ministry said in a statement published late Wednesday that a committee will be formed to "find out the reasons behind these occurrences ... and conduct required investigations."

Health officials Ministry said earlier this week that at least 435 children fell ill of suspected food poisoning in public schools across Egypt after consuming government-issued school meals, produced by a military-owned company.

According to the government, some 3,353 children have shown similar symptoms in the southern city of Sohag last week.

The mass food poisonings have been an embarrassment for the authorities amid President Abdel-Fattah el-Sissi's ambitious economic reforms to revive the country's ailing economy.