An upstate New York high school student has been charged with placing a chunk of sheep's brain into his school cafeteria's salad dressing.

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Michael Walker, 17, was charged with the misdemeanors of petit larceny and second-degree tampering with a consumer product, the Binghamton Press & Sun-Bulletin reported Wednesday.

The incident was discovered Jan. 12 in Vestal, 25 miles west of Binghamton.

School officials don't believe anyone ate any of the preserved brain matter, and health officials said the brain matter found did not contain enough preservative to cause health problems.

Walker, described by classmates as "the class clown," could face up to a year in jail, three years probation, or both, plus a fine of up to $1,000 if convicted, according to state law.

Meanwhile, school officials were considering switching from an open bowl of salad dressing to a closed lid with a pump, Superintendent Mark Capobianco said.