FSA figures indicate a third of people at risk from campylobacter food poisoning during their lifetime
FSA figures indicate a third of people at risk from campylobacter food poisoning during their lifetime
The Food Standards Agency has revealed new figures suggesting that up to a third of the population could contract food poisoning from campylobacter during their lifetime.
As part of Food Safety Week, the FSA has launched the ‘Chicken Challenge’, a call to the whole food chain, from industry to consumers, to do their bit to halve the number of campylobacter food poisoning cases by the end of 2015.
FSA has set a clear expectation for poultry producers and retailers to take action to reduce levels of campylobacter in chicken.
The FSA is currently conducting a year-long survey looking at the levels of campylobacter on fresh whole chilled retail chickens and their packaging. In partnership with farmers and producers, through to caterers and retailers, all parts of the food chain have been working to meet the 2015 target.
Nina Purcell, Director at the FSA, said: “The FSA has been working hard to get industry to reduce that number by cutting the level of contamination on shop-bought chickens. This Food Safety Week, we’re taking that one step further by asking the public to take the ‘Chicken Challenge’ and pledge to take action to help protect themselves. At the moment, up to a third of us could fall ill with campylobacter at some point in our lives. We all have a responsibility to do what we can to reduce that figure.”
