Since 2013 we have been working hard to reduce Campylobacter levels in fresh chicken. We have introduced a Campylobacter reduction plan which has shown significant improvements year on year.
Our results for the 2nd Quarter of 2021 (April to June) are as follows:
- 0.8% of our chickens have the higher levels of contamination compared to the FSA retail target of 7% from a sample of 120 chickens tested.
Our results now for the last 26 consecutive quarters have been below the 7% FSA retail target.
The facts:
• Campylobacter is a common bacteria which causes food poisoning which can be found on fresh chicken.
• Campylobacter is destroyed if chicken is cooked thoroughly.
• As a bacteria, campylobacter can be transferred on to any surface that raw chicken contacts.
• Food Standards Agency (FSA) advice is Do Not Wash raw chicken.
Click here for a quick guide from the FSA about Campylobacter
How you can prevent it:
We understand that campylobacter can be a concern when it comes to handling fresh chicken.
However there are 4 simple steps you can take at home to minimise the risk of food poisoning:
- Step 1 – Cover and chill raw poultry at the bottom of the fridge
- Step 2 – Do not wash poultry
- Step 3 – Wash hands and utensils after handling raw poultry
- Step 4 – Ensure poultry is thoroughly cooked
What Morrisons have achieved:
- A long term reduction of campylobacter levels from 2014 to 2021.
- We have worked with our suppliers and implemented a Campylobacter Action Plan, which has successfully reduced campylobacter levels on fresh chicken.
- We have established our own monitoring program; our test results show levels of campylobacter are now consistnently below the FSA 7% target (for the last 26 quarters).
What’s next?
While the results of our reduction programme are extremely encouraging, we are not complacent and we will continue to work closely with all areas of the industry to continually find areas to improve.
FoodWorld 