Poultry (Hansard, 21 February 1990)

§ Mr. Matthew Taylor
To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what research he has carried out into salmonella levels in poultry; and if he will make a statement.

§ Mr. Maclean
My Department is currently funding a comprehensive programme of research on aspects of salmonella amounting to £2.4 million in 1989–90. The projects listed in the table fall into two main categories—food safety and animal health—and cover external contamination and vertical transmission, which are the two sources of infection. The programme includes epidemiological studies on the distribution of salmonella enteritidis in the laying flock.
845W

R and D on salmonella currently funded by MAFF

Project Location Amount of funding in 1989–90 £'000

1. Modelling of growth of pathogenic micro-organisms in food systems British food Manufacturing Industries Research Association (BFMIRA) Leatherhead 150

2. Detection and quantification of micro-organisms in foods by novel lectin-based assays BFMIRA 57

3. Separation: an important aid to rapid microbiological analysis BFMIRA 40

4. Thermal destruction of salmonella in foods made with eggs BFMIRA 4

5. Destruction of Salmonella enteritidis in egg albumen BFMIRA 30

6. Mathematical prediction of growth of micro-organisms in food systems Campden Food and Drink Research Association (CFDRA), Chipping Campden 200

7. Guidelines for pasteurisation CFDRA 25

8. Investigation into the use of biosorbants for the concentration, separation and detection of low levels of food contaminants with special reference to pathogenic micro-organisms such as salmonella CFDRA 70

9. Database and expert system development for microbiology modelling initiative CFDRA 88

10. Survival and growth of salmonella and Bacillus subtilis in bakery ingredients, products or fillings Flour Milling and Baking Research Association (FMBRA), Chorleywood 86

11. Modelling micobial growth effects of processing and storage on survival and growth of pathogenic bacteria AFRC Institute of Food Research, Bristol (IFR(B)) 59

12. Modelling microbial growth: develop predictive models for food safety IFR(B) 59

13. Modelling microbial growth: optimise poultry processing conditions to reduce occurrence of pathogenic bacteria IFR(B) 59

14. Optimisation of spray washing of poultry carcases IFR(B) 30

15. Modelling microbial growth: safety of foods and beverages IFR, Reading 100

16. Develop and investigate novel methods to separate and concentrate micro-organisms from foods to enhance rapid microbiological methods IFR, Reading 127

17. Enzyme-linked immunological biosensors for the detection of pathogenic bacteria in food IFR, Reading 40

18. Development of improved diagnostic tests to study epidemiology AFRC Institute of Animal Health (IAH), Compton 75

19. Intestinal colonisation of salmonella in poultry IAH 61

20. Basis of virulence in salmonellas (in relation to poultry) IAH 61

21. Virulence in salmonellas (in relation to calves) IAH 94

22. The genetic basis for virulence IAH 95

23. Use of non-radioactive DNA probes for the detection and identification of food borne pathogens University of Nottingham 12

24. Risk assessment of salmonella in eggs University of Bath 19

25. Salmonella infection in the egg University of Bath 15

26. Salmonella infection in the laying hen University of Bristol 76

27. The influence of shell quality on the ease of translocation of salmonella into the egg Glasgow University Veterinary School 26

28. The influence of storage conditions on the survival of salmonellas Public Health Laboratory Service, Exeter 19

29. Development of diagnostic tests and vaccines MAFF Central Veterinary Laboratory (CVL) 316

30. Epidemiological studies in laying flocks CVL 50

31. Salmonella in feeds: recontamination and isolation CVL 88

846W 847W

Project Location Amount of funding in 1989–90 £'000

32. Pathogenesis in chickens CVL 171

Total 2,402

33. Egg products and human salmonellas University of Bath ¹—

34. Microbial growth and survival on food contact surfaces pertinent to food poisoning spoilage and hygiene University of Warwick and CFDRA ¹—

35. Theoretical approaches to minimal methods of food preservation University of Reading ¹—

¹ Work being carried out under the MAFF Post-Graduate Studentship Scheme.

§ Mr. Matthew Taylor
To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what assessment he has made of the resistance levels to disease among poultry as a consequence of the continual use of antibiotics.

§ Mr. Maclean
All salmonella from animals and their environment have been monitored for antibiotic resistance continuously since 1971.

§ Mr. Matthew Taylor
To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what percentage of feedstuffs for poultry is subject to prior heat treatment; what assessment he has made of the effectiveness of heat-treating feedingstuffs in reducing the incidence of salmonella in poultry; and if he will make a statement.

§ Mr. Maclean
Details are not available on the percentage of poultry feedstuffs subject to heat treatment. Most broiler and turkey feeds, however, are heat-treated as part of the pelleting process. There is also a growing trend towards use of pelleted feeds for laying flocks. Published work indicates that whilst heat treatment of feedstuffs can be effective in tackling salmonella contamination, it cannot be guaranteed to eliminate salmonella completely. My Department issued last year five codes of practice which set out a range of measures to be taken by the feedstuffs industry to reduce salmonella contamination.

§ Mr. Matthew Taylor
To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will take steps to ensure that the process of stripping animal hones to obtain mechanically recovered meat entails no risk of spinal tissue being included in the final product.

§ Mr. Maclean
As an ultra-precautionary measure my Department introduced the Bovine Offal (Prohibition) Regulations 1989, which prohibit the use of spinal cord and other specified bovine offals in food for sale for human consumption. In practice the spinal cord would be removed before recovery of M RM. Animals displaying symptoms of BSE are required to be slaughtered and disposed of so that they do not enter the human food chain.

R and D on salmonella currently funded by MAFF
	Project	Location	Amount of funding in 1989–90 £'000
1.	Modelling of growth of pathogenic micro-organisms in food systems	British food Manufacturing Industries Research Association (BFMIRA) Leatherhead	150
2.	Detection and quantification of micro-organisms in foods by novel lectin-based assays	BFMIRA	57
3.	Separation: an important aid to rapid microbiological analysis	BFMIRA	40
4.	Thermal destruction of salmonella in foods made with eggs	BFMIRA	4
5.	Destruction of Salmonella enteritidis in egg albumen	BFMIRA	30
6.	Mathematical prediction of growth of micro-organisms in food systems	Campden Food and Drink Research Association (CFDRA), Chipping Campden	200
7.	Guidelines for pasteurisation	CFDRA	25
8.	Investigation into the use of biosorbants for the concentration, separation and detection of low levels of food contaminants with special reference to pathogenic micro-organisms such as salmonella	CFDRA	70
9.	Database and expert system development for microbiology modelling initiative	CFDRA	88
10.	Survival and growth of salmonella and Bacillus subtilis in bakery ingredients, products or fillings	Flour Milling and Baking Research Association (FMBRA), Chorleywood	86
11.	Modelling micobial growth effects of processing and storage on survival and growth of pathogenic bacteria	AFRC Institute of Food Research, Bristol (IFR(B))	59
12.	Modelling microbial growth: develop predictive models for food safety	IFR(B)	59
13.	Modelling microbial growth: optimise poultry processing conditions to reduce occurrence of pathogenic bacteria	IFR(B)	59
14.	Optimisation of spray washing of poultry carcases	IFR(B)	30
15.	Modelling microbial growth: safety of foods and beverages	IFR, Reading	100
16.	Develop and investigate novel methods to separate and concentrate micro-organisms from foods to enhance rapid microbiological methods	IFR, Reading	127
17.	Enzyme-linked immunological biosensors for the detection of pathogenic bacteria in food	IFR, Reading	40
18.	Development of improved diagnostic tests to study epidemiology	AFRC Institute of Animal Health (IAH), Compton	75
19.	Intestinal colonisation of salmonella in poultry	IAH	61
20.	Basis of virulence in salmonellas (in relation to poultry)	IAH	61
21.	Virulence in salmonellas (in relation to calves)	IAH	94
22.	The genetic basis for virulence	IAH	95
23.	Use of non-radioactive DNA probes for the detection and identification of food borne pathogens	University of Nottingham	12
24.	Risk assessment of salmonella in eggs	University of Bath	19
25.	Salmonella infection in the egg	University of Bath	15
26.	Salmonella infection in the laying hen	University of Bristol	76
27.	The influence of shell quality on the ease of translocation of salmonella into the egg	Glasgow University Veterinary School	26
28.	The influence of storage conditions on the survival of salmonellas	Public Health Laboratory Service, Exeter	19
29.	Development of diagnostic tests and vaccines	MAFF Central Veterinary Laboratory (CVL)	316
30.	Epidemiological studies in laying flocks	CVL	50
31.	Salmonella in feeds: recontamination and isolation	CVL	88