HC Deb 06 March 1989 vol 148 cc423-4W
Mr. Hinchliffe

To ask the Secretary of State for Health, following the advice from his chief medical officer that all cook-chill food should be re-heated until piping hot before consumption, what action he is taking about those supermarkets which continue to retail cook-chill chicken labelled "ready to eat".

Mr. Kenneth Clarke

The chief medical officer's advice that cooked chilled meals and ready to eat poultry should be re-heated until they were piping hot was directed at pregnant women and certain others at special risk. As far as the rest of the population was concerned, he said that provided good hygiene practices were followed there was no need for them to change the types of foods that they regularly ate and enjoyed.

Mr. Hinchliffe

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what is his policy towards the acceptance by health authorities of commercial sponsorship of the publication of newsheets relating to cook-chill catering.

Mr. Freeman

It is a matter for health authorities to determine their use of commercial sponsorship in the publication of any news sheets that they wish to issue provided they do not contravene current health policy.

Food Salmonella SP Clostridium Perfringens Staphylococcus Aureus Bacillus SP Total
Fish 2 2
Meat 8 24 1 2 35
Vegetables
Eggs 6 1 7
Other foods
Chicken 24 5 2 2 33
Turkey 15 4 1 1 21
Poultry 2 1 3
Other mixed foods 14 5 7 15 41

Information is not readily available on all cases involved in these outbreaks. Provisional information on outbreaks associated with these foods in 1988 suggests that, with the exception of eggs, there was no significant

Mr. Hinchliffe

To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will direct Wakefield health authority to ensure that future editions of "Catering Update" relating to cook-chill catering are produced without commercial sponsorship by companies closely associated with the introduction of such catering.

Mr. Freeman

No. Editorial control of such publications rests with the DHA.