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Listen to this siteFriday 17 September 2004
This review will provide information on current UK poultry practices for monitoring and controlling salmonella in broiler farms.
Study Duration : January 2002 to July 2002
Contractor : University of Bristol
Over the last few years there has been a marked reduction in the reported prevalence of salmonella contamination in chickens sampled from retail outlets. A recent FSA-funded survey reported around 5.8% of retail chickens in the UK are contaminated with salmonella. While this contamination rate is low given the numbers of chickens consumed each year in the UK, this still represents a substantial potential risk to public health. If the FSA is to achieve its foodborne disease target, it is important that measures to control salmonella on-farm are implemented properly. This review will be carried out to obtain information on current UK poultry practices for monitoring and controlling salmonella in broilers, including an assessment of their efficacy and a comparison of such practices with other countries.
Information will be obtained from a range of different sources both in the UK and overseas. Nine companies representing a cross-section of the UK poultry meat production and slaughter industries, will be interviewed and the information collected by completion of a standard questionnaire. Issues relating to salmonella biosecurity at the broiler farm will be gathered from a range of sources including experts in ADAS Consultancy, Veterinary Laboratories Agency, the University of Bristol and key stakeholders in the poultry industry. Information will also be obtained from a scientific literature review which focuses on biosecurity against salmonella.
The review showed that there is a wide variation in current practices in UK broiler production for monitoring and controlling salmonella and there is a need to determine the significance of the variations and identify best practice. If salmonella is to be further reduced in UK poultry it is necessary to standardise practices. The report suggests one way this could be achieved is through better targeted and co-ordinated codes of practice and guidance. A need for improved information transfer between and within stakeholder groups was identified.
A number of areas where further research is needed were also identified. The Agency's priority is the development of an action plan for the reduction of campylobacter. Some of the measures proposed for campylobacter will also be expected to have an effect on salmonella. Work specifically focussing on salmonella will be progressed as other commitments allow.
Final report is available from the FSA Library and Information centre. To obtain a copy, please contact the Enquiry Desk, Dr Elsie Widdowson Library and Information Services, Food Standards Agency tel: 020 7276 8181/8182 or email: library&info@foodstandards.gsi.gov.uk
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