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FSA looking to name food bug chicken retailers 'quickly'

The Food Standards Agency (FSA) will attempt to name the retailers who sell chicken which has tested positive for a food poisoning bug "more quickly" after criticism from a consumer group.

Which? criticised the FSA for not revealing that almost three fifths of fresh shop-bought chicken tested positive for campylobacter but failed to name any retailers who sold it.

Campylobacter is killed by thorough cooking, but is the most common form of food poisoning in the UK, affecting an estimated 280,000 people a year, and the majority of these cases come from contaminated poultry.

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Tesco 'working hard' to reduce food bug in chicken

Supermarket giant Tesco is "working hard" with suppliers and the food industry on solutions to reduce the campylobacter food poisoning bug.

Tesco is working hard to reduce the food bug campylobacter from their chicken. Credit: PA Wire

In response to the FSA-report into the bug, they said: "We have thorough cleaning routines to maintain the highest standards in our stores and all our farms and processors meet stringent industry requirements for hygiene."

They added: "Tesco is working hard in partnership with our suppliers and the industry to find solutions to reduce campylobacter in raw poultry."

While their advice states that their is no need to wash the chicken before cooking they do recommend that customers wash their hands and utensils thoroughly after contact with raw meat.

Campylobacter is killed by thorough cooking, but is the most common form of food poisoning in the UK, affecting an estimated 280,000 people a year, and the majority of these cases come from contaminated poultry.

Read: A chef's top tips on how to prepare and cook chicken

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FSA looking to name food bug chicken retailers 'quickly'

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