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Figures show further reduction in campylobacter levels
An average of 4.5 per cent of chickens tested positive for the highest level of campylobacter contamination.
Retailers publish their testing results for October to December 2017

The Food Standards Agency (FSA) has thanked retailers for their work to reduce campylobacter levels in chicken.

Nine top retailers in the UK have published their testing results on campylobacter contamination in fresh whole chickens for the period October to December 2017.

The figures show that an average of 4.5 per cent of chickens tested positive for the highest level of campylobacter contamination (those carrying more than 1,000 colony-forming units per gram cfu/g). In the previous quarter (July to September), the figure for the highest level of contamination was 5.1 per cent - a fall of more than 0.6 per cent.

The FSA says that the fall builds on results released by retailers in November 2017, with the overall trend continuing to show a reduction in the highest levels of contamination.

“It’s good to see that levels of campylobacter found continue on a downward trend. We will continue to monitor the results and procedures of the major retailers and encourage them to maintain the significant progress made so far,” said FSA director of policy and science, Michael Wright.

“We would like to thank the British Retail Consortium and the retailers for continuing to take the issue of campylobacter seriously and for working together to coordinate the publication of their results. We are actively working across smaller poultry businesses so that they can also contribute to reducing campylobacter levels.”

The FSA has been testing chicken for campylobacter since February 2014 as part of a campaign to bring together the whole food chain to tackle the problem. In September 2017, the organisation announced that retailers would be carrying out their own sampling and publishing their results under strict protocols set out by the FSA.

The nine retailers that submitted their campylobacter results were Aldi, Asda, Co-op, Lidl, Marks & Spencer, Morrisons, Sainsbury’s, Tesco and Waitrose.

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Cold-water dip to raise funds for Vetlife

News Story 1
 The veterinary mental health charity Vetlife is inviting the veterinary community to join it for a sponsored cold-water dip.

The event will take place at Walpole Bay, Margate, on 17 May during Mental Health Awareness Week. Participants of all abilities can join in the challenge and are advised to bring a towel, a hot drink, a snack, and warm clothes to get changed into afterwards.

Those taking part are being asked to try to raise 100 each to support the work of the charity.

Details about how to take part can be found here. 

Click here for more...
News Shorts
Bluetongue low vector period ends

In an update to its bluetongue guidance, the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) has announced that the seasonal low vector period for the disease has ended.

With winter over, Defra is planning for a possible increase in cases as midges become more active. It has warned that farms along the east coast of England from Norfolk to Kent, and along the south coast from Kent to Devon, are at highest risk from infected midges blown over from northern Europe.

Since the virus was detected in England in November 2023, there have been 126 confirmed cases. The most recent case to be confirmed was on 1 March 2024.

Farmers are asked to continue to frequently monitor their livestock and ensure their animals and land are registered with the Animal and Plant Health Agency.