Salmonella alert for poultry

- Published: 23 June, 2006

An alarming 20.3% of European Union (EU) laying hen poultry flocks are infected with salmonella, a European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) report has warned.

Britain cannot be complacent under the report, based on 2004-5 data, with 8% of flocks stricken with salmonella. But the Czech Republic (62.5%), Poland (55.9%), Spain (51.6%), Lithuania (50%) and Portugal (47.7%) have the most serious problems.

Sweden and Luxembourg, however, had no salmonella, Finland just 0.4% and Denmark 1.2%, a country already considering restricting EU poultry meat imports after salmonella was detected in German chicken earlier this month.

Slaughtered laying hens are used for soups, pies, pastries and pastes.