Mr. Alan W. WilliamsTo ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how many chickens slaughtered for meat are tested for the presence of salmonella enteritidis; and how many are found to carry the bacteria.
§ Mr. Donald ThompsonTesting is not a statutory requirement and no firm information is available. Advice has been issued to enforcement authorities on the identification and rejection of birds showing visible signs of salmonella enteritidis at post-mortem inspection. We have asked the industry to consider urgently what other steps can be taken. Salmonella is destroyed if poultry is cooked properly.