June 16, 2006

European poultry farms are contaminated with salmonella, says study

More than half the poultry farms in some EU countries are contaminated with salmonella, according to a study by the European Food Safety Authority.

The leaked findings of the study, indicated that 62 percent of the farms in Czech Republic were contaminated with a dangerous strain of the bacteria, 55 percent in Poland and 51 percent in Spain. The UK had the least count, just 12 percent, according to the Irish Sun.

According to British Egg Information Council, nearly 85 percent of the eggs consumed in Britain are produced in the country, while the balance are imported from Europe, especially Spain.

British egg producing standards require laying hens to be vaccinated against salmonella on top of high hygiene standards. It was estimated that the British poultry industry has spent GBP36 million in these measures.

An European Food Safety Authority spokesperson said although the presence of salmonella in a poultry farm would indicate that the birds are infected, chances of the eggs getting contaminated are low because the transfer rate of salmonella from infected laying hens to their eggs is only between 1-3 percent.

The report led to calls by industry to ban import of eggs from the mentioned countries.

Andrew Wadge, head of Britain's Food Safety and Food Standards Authority, said Britain could impose a ban on Spanish egg imports if that country failed to introduce compulsory vaccinations for its poultry.