Salmonella in eggs comes back to haunt industry

09 April 1998

Salmonella in eggs comes back to haunt industry

THE salmonella-in-eggs scare looks set to rear its ugly head again with the publication of evidence that the food poisoning bug still haunts the industry.

A report by Government scientific advisers, yet to be published, claims that one in 650 British eggs contains the bacteria and one in 1,320 has the most dangerous strain, called salmonella phage four.

It now appears the wholesale slaughter of two million hens between 1989-93 and the imposition of strict new hygiene conditions in farms and factories have all been in vain.

The Advisory Committee on the Microbiological Safety of Food will publish thefigures compiled by the Public Health Laboratory Service in the next few weeks.

A fresh investigation is to be launched which will look at each stage in the process from laying to hygiene in kitchens and storage.

British egg farmers reacted angrily to the latest developments. John Campbell, owner of Glenrath Eggs, Scotlands largest producer, said he was completely surprised by the findings and does not believe they are true.

• The Scotsman 09/04/98 page 3
• The Independent 09/04/98 page 8
• The Guardian 09/04/98 page 5
• The Daily Telegraph 09/04/98 page 1, page 2