HC Deb 23 February 1989 vol 147 cc709-10W
Mr. Kennedy

To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what notifications have been issued to the National Farmers Union over the past 12 months concerning the possible incidence of listeria infection in United Kingdom cheese production; and if he will make a statement.

Mr. Ryder

Action over individual instances of listeria in cheese has been taken with the individual producers concerned. The NFU has been made aware of the general problem through the series of meetings of all the organisations concerned that led to the production of the code of practice for cheese producers that was issued in August 1988.

Mr. Kennedy

To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what representations he has received from the Food and Drink Federation concerning possible listeria infection in United Kingdom produced cheese; and if he will make a statement.

Mr. Ryder

I have received no such representations from the Food and Drink Federation.

Mr. Ron Davies

To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (1) what research his Department is currently funding into the causes and incidence of listeria contamination in dairy products other than liquid milk;

(2) what research his Department is currently funding into the causes and incidence of listeria contamination in fresh milk.

Mr. MacGregor

A considerable programme of research into the micrological safety of food is being undertaken and funded by my Department. This programme includes work on factors which cause the listeria organisms to multiply and methods of inhibiting such growth.

Mr. Ron Davies

To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what evidence he has that milk infected with listeria became infected(a) from listeria endemic or internal to the cow or (b) through contamination from listeria in the environment.

Mr. Ryder

Listeria infections in cattle udders are unusual. If contamination of milk occurs, it is more likely to be due to environmental contamination. The presence of listeria in milk is minimised by ensuring that mill: is produced and processed under hygienic conditions—and the Milk and Dairies Regulations aim to achieve this.

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