Salmonella at low

24 August 2001

Salmonella at low

SALMONELLA levels in chickens on shop shelves are at an all-time low, but campylobacter affects half the birds sold, according to government figures. A survey by the Food Standards Agency found salmonella in 5.8% of chicken tested across the UK. This is well ahead of the food safety watchdogs target to reduce an estimated 20% contamination rate by 50% within five years. But the FSA has admitted that levels of campylobacter bacteria – the biggest identified cause of food poisoning in the UK – are a concern. The bug was found in 50% of samples tested across the country. &#42