Food poisoning news
08/02/2011

Food poisoning germs found on chicken packaging

Supermarket customers have been warned that they are more likely to contract food poisoning from handling pre-packed chicken than if they were handling a raw carcass.

A survey by Birmingham food safety officials found that 40% of packets it tested were contaminated with bacteria, including campylobacter which is capable of causing vomiting, diarrhoea and stomach pains.

In the first study of its kind, researchers tested 20 packs from supermarkets, convenience stores and butchers. Eight of these had germs on the outside, while seven were also contaminated on the inside and one was found to have salmonella.

The safety inspectors said that there was no link between the chickens infected inside and the outside of the packaging.

Although both types of bacteria can cause particularly serious personal injury to elderly people, those with compromised immune systems and children, generally the infection can be combated with good personal hygiene and thorough hand washing.

Food director of the British Retail Consortium, Andrew Opie, said the organisation was working with poultry producers and the Government to find ways of reducing campylobacter in chicken products, which can lead to food poisoning and potential product liability compensation claims if customers or their families fall ill as a result of buying and eating the contaminated meat.