Drop in salmonella cases
12 June 2000
Drop in salmonella cases
SALMONELLA cases in the UK have fallen for the first time in 15 years, according to figures published to mark National Food Safety Week.
The total number of food poisoning cases dropped by 8,000, mostly due to the large drop in salmonella, said the Food and Drink federation.
Number of other infections dropped slightly or remained static but cases of stomach upsets caused by viruses have increased.
Food hygiene expert Hugh Pennington, professor of microbiology at Aberdeen University, welcomed the drop in salmonella.
He said “Salmonella coming down like a stone is really quite brilliant,” he told the BBC Radio 4 Farming Today programme.
“Its not just coming down in the chickens, its coming down in the people as well.”
Prof Pennington, who led the inquiry into the deaths of 20 Scottish pensioners from E coli 0157, added: “A lot of work over a lot of years is paying off.”
He said better production methods and vaccinating birds were having a knock-on effect on health effect.
Campylobacter cases also dropped by several thousand while listeria cases had remained static, according to the results, reports the BBC
However the number of gastroenteritis cases caused by viruses has increased.
Prof Pennington said campylobacter may be coming from sources other than food, which scientist shave been trying establish for some time.
He admitted that it was “embarrassing” that scientists did not understand how that infection worked.
Prof Pennigton urged against complacency following these food poisoning figures. “There is still a lot of work to do at the consumer and restaurant level,” he said.
National Food Safety Week aims to help raise awareness of the importance of food hygiene and encourage people to play their part in reducing food poisoning.