British poultry industry targets campylobacter reduction
Targets have been set by the British poultry industry to cut campylobacter in chicken to a level of 10% through a series of increased biosecurity measures.
The target is a reduction of 17% and is to be met by 2015. Achieving it could mean a reduction of campylobacter food poisoning in the UK of up to 30% – a prevention of 90,000 cases of food poisoning a year.
The Food Standards Agency and the poultry industry have jointly implemented an action plan at farm level which calls for improvements in important biosecurity measures. The measures include vehicle washing, hand washing for all farm visitors and personnel, boot changing between chicken houses and the disinfection of drinking tanks and washing lines.
Biosecurity for catching teams will come under most scrutiny. FSA Scottish chief, professor Charles Milne, said there was a strong link between the thinning of bird populations by catching teams and the subsequent infection of remaining birds in the flock.
Source: Farmers Weekly Interactive
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