International Trade Secretary, Liam Fox, has attempted to downplay the issue of chlorinated chicken imports in a future US-UK trade deal, during his two-day visit to Washington DC.
Campaign groups and opposition parties, including the Greens, have voiced their concerns over future trade talks that could see the UK lift bans on chlorine-washed chicken and hormone-fed beef.
Both Fox and No 10 declined media questions regarding whether lifting the ban was on the negotiating table, with Theresa May’s official spokesman describing such a prospect as “hypothetical” during a media briefing.
The spokesman reportedly said: “Our priority when it comes to food is that maintaining the safety and public confidence in the food we eat is of the highest priority.
"Any future trade deal must work for UK farmers, businesses and consumers."
Practices like ‘washing’ chicken carcasses in strongly chlorinated water without the need to label it are banned in the EU.
Such methods are also argued to be increasing the risk of microbial contamination, as abattoirs with lower standards allegedly rely on the processes instead of ensuring their basic hygiene protocols are up to scratch.
The British Poultry Council (BPC) has rejected the “notion of importing chlorine-washed chickens as part of a makeweight in trade negotiations with the US”, noting: “We are proud to produce wholesome, nutritious and affordable food for the UK population.
“We also know that British consumers trust nothing other than British chicken.”
It also urged the Government to “show confidence in our world-leading food safety standards by backing British farming and cherishing its successes”.
BPC’s chief executive, Richard Griffiths, said: “The UK poultry meat industry stands committed to feeding the nation with nutritious food and any compromise on standards will not be tolerated.
“A secure post-Brexit deal must be about Britain’s future food security and safety. This is a matter of our reputation on the global stage.”
During his US visit, Fox has already met for the first time with the UK-US Trade and Investment Working Group and delivered a speech at the American Enterprise Institute, while on 25th July he will host a breakfast with members of Congress.
Fox will also travel to Mexico to meet with the Mexican Minister of Economy, Ildefonso Guajardo, to discuss continuity in trading relationships when the UK leaves the EU.
This story was originally published on a previous version of the Meat Management website and so there may be some missing images and formatting issues.
