§ Mr. JenkinTo ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what assessment he has made of the risk of food poisoning contracted from New York dressed poultry. [35382]
§ Mr. RookerThe Government believe that the evisceration of New York dressed poultry, whether in the domestic kitchen or in a butcher's shop, could lead to cross contamination of other foods by any foodborne pathogens present, via contamination of the hands of the person carrying out the evisceration and the implements and surfaces used.
This view is based on scientific evidence and advice, including that of the Advisory Committee on the Microbiological Safety of Food, in its 1996 Report on Poultry Meat; and a paper from Professor Mead and Dr. Scott of the Royal Veterinary College, published in British Poultry Science, 1997, Vol. 38, pages 195 to 198, entitled, "Spread of an enteric 'marker' organism during evisceration of New York dressed poultry in a simulated kitchen environment".