July 11, 2007

UN draws up new rules for hygiene in poultry products

The UN has revised its rules for eggs and egg products in view of the dangers posed by poultry diseases.

Plans are also afoot to draw up more guidelines for reducing bacterial contamination in chicken.

The Codex Alimentarius Commission, at its annual meeting, held 2-7 July in Rome, said there would be more guidelines on salmonella and campylobacter bacteria in poultry. The Commission was set up to set food standards.

The UN Food and Agriculture Organisation and the World Health Organisation said finding a way to deal with these bacteria would prevent hundreds of thousands of food-borne disease cases each year.