September 28, 2010

Estonia's chicken proves salmonella-free

The European Food Safety Board (EFSB) confirmed that chicken from large Estonian poultry farms is free of salmonella, based on test results of 10,000 production batches from its 28 states.

EFSB conducted a major study in 2008, comparing occurrence of salmonella bacteria on chicken carcasses of 26 EU states (except Greece), Norway and Switzerland.

Salmonella bacteria were not discovered from any of the 102 production batches from Estonia while the average occurrence rate of the bacteria in the study was 15.6%.

In Scandinavia, the figure was also 0%; in Latvia and Lithuania 5%; and in Poland 25%.

Since AS Tallegg is Estonia's only large poultry industry, all 102 batches that EFSB analysed from Estonia came from that company. "Constant work to guarantee cleanness, both at poultry farms and meant industry level, have brought us now such cheering news," said AS Tallegg board chairman.