Food Safety
search
cart
facebook twitter linkedin
  • Sign In
  • Create Account
  • Sign Out
  • My Account
Food Safety
  • NEWS
    • Latest News
    • White Papers
  • PRODUCTS
  • TOPICS
    • Contamination Control
    • Food Types
    • Management
    • Process Control
    • Regulatory
    • Sanitation
    • Supply Chain
    • Testing and Analysis
  • PODCAST
  • EXCLUSIVES
    • Food Safety Five Newsreel
    • eBooks
    • FSM Distinguished Service Award
    • Interactive Product Spotlights
    • Videos
  • BUYER'S GUIDE
  • MORE
    • ENEWSLETTER >
      • Archive Issues
      • Subscribe to eNews
    • Store
    • Sponsor Insights
  • WEBINARS
  • FOOD SAFETY SUMMIT
  • EMAG
    • eMagazine
    • Archive Issues
    • Editorial Advisory Board
    • Contact
    • Advertise
  • SIGN UP!
News

UK Food Standards Agency CEO Discusses Campylobacter Control Plan

September 11, 2013


BBC News today reported that the UK's Food Standards Agency (FSA) has launched a strategy aimed at reducing the number of illnesses from Britain's most common cause of food poisoning — campylobacter.

The Agency said it would improve information about levels of campylobacter in the supply chain. The bacterium is linked to about 460,000 poisoning cases, 22,000 hospital admissions and 110 deaths each year in the UK, with a significant proportion of cases involving campylobacter come from poultry.

FSA chief executive Catherine Brown said she wanted to see a "shift in culture" in the food industry. In an interview on Radio 4's Today program, Brown said that in practice, FSA's new strategy will include measures such as improving biosecurity on farms to prevent campylobacter from infecting chickens, improving production facilities, expanding testing, and improving packaging and advice to consumers.

"Yes, farmers need to work really hard on improving biosecurity, but, just as much, I would say that producers, slaughterhouses and retailers have a really important role to play," she said.

The new strategy was on the agenda for today's FSA board meeting in Aberdeen, Scotland. The meeting will be available as a podcast within 48 hours, according to the FSA website.

An FSA survey five years ago suggested that 65 percent of chicken on sale in shops was contaminated with the bacteria. Monitoring by the FSA suggests there has been no change in the proportion of the most highly contaminated chickens since 2008. The FSA said it would ensure that food businesses using chilled chicken were aware of the risks.

Research programs into vaccination and other long-term measures would be supported by the agency. The FSA would also use regulation if necessary to change behavior in the industry, officials said.

"What we have proposed in this paper is a shift in culture and a refocusing of effort by both government and the food industry to tackle this persistent and serious problem," Brown explained. "While we remain committed to joint working with industry we want to encourage and see producers, processors and retailers treat campylobacter reduction not simply as a technical issue but as a core business priority, and I see some encouraging signs of that happening."

Earlier this year, a BBC investigation revealed that cases of campylobacter infection were increasing. The British Poultry Council (BPC) said at the time it was doing everything it could to reduce the risk of infection.

On Wednesday, the council's chief executive, Andrew Large, told BBC Breakfast that the council, the FSA and retailers had formed a joint working group on campylobacter. "There are a lot of interventions that are currently being trialled," he added.


Author(s): Staff

Share This Story

Looking for a reprint of this article?
From high-res PDFs to custom plaques, order your copy today!

Recommended Content

JOIN TODAY
to unlock your recommendations.

Already have an account? Sign In

  • people holding baby chicks

    Serovar Differences Matter: Utility of Deep Serotyping in Broiler Production and Processing

    This article discusses the significance of Salmonella in...
    Testing & Analysis
    By: Nikki Shariat Ph.D.
  • woman washing hands

    Building a Culture of Hygiene in the Food Processing Plant

    Everyone entering a food processing facility needs to...
    Management
    By: Richard F. Stier, M.S.
  • graphical representation of earth over dirt

    Climate Change and Emerging Risks to Food Safety: Building Climate Resilience

    This article examines the multifaceted threats to food...
    Best Practices
    By: Maria Cristina Tirado Ph.D., D.V.M. and Shamini Albert Raj M.A.
Manage My Account
  • eMagazine Subscription
  • Subscribe to eNewsletter
  • Manage My Preferences
  • Website Registration
  • Subscription Customer Service

More Videos

Sponsored Content

Sponsored Content is a special paid section where industry companies provide high quality, objective, non-commercial content around topics of interest to the Food Safety Magazine audience. All Sponsored Content is supplied by the advertising company and any opinions expressed in this article are those of the author and not necessarily reflect the views of Food Safety Magazine or its parent company, BNP Media. Interested in participating in our Sponsored Content section? Contact your local rep!

close
  • Two men standing in a produce storage facility having a discussion.
    Sponsored byOrkin Commercial

    Staying Compliant With FSMA

  • Deli Salads
    Sponsored byCorbion

    How Food Safety is Becoming the Ultimate Differentiator in Refrigerated and Prepared Foods

Popular Stories

FoodSafetyMattersFinal-900x550-(002).jpg

Ep. 195. Dr. Christopher Daubert: The Value of a Food Science Education

Students returning their lunch trays in a cafeteria

California Bill Would Remove Ultra-Processed Foods from School Lunches

Two men standing in a produce storage facility having a discussion.

Staying Compliant With FSMA

Events

June 26, 2025

How to Design and Conduct Challenge Studies for Safer Products and Longer Shelf Life

Live: June 26, 2025 at 2:00 pm EDT: During this webinar, attendees will learn how to conduct challenge studies for microbial spoilage and pathogen growth, including the common challenges encountered, laboratory selection, and use of predictive models.

May 11, 2026

The Food Safety Summit

Stay informed on the latest food safety trends, innovations, emerging challenges, and expert analysis. Leave the Summit with actionable insights ready to drive measurable improvements in your organization. Do not miss this opportunity to learn from experts about contamination control, food safety culture, regulations, sanitation, supply chain traceability, and so much more.

View All

Products

Global Food Safety Microbial Interventions and Molecular Advancements

Global Food Safety Microbial Interventions and Molecular Advancements

See More Products
Environmental Monitoring Excellence eBook

Related Articles

  • UK Food Standards Agency Issues New Plan to Tackle Campylobacter

    See More
  • UK Food Standards Agency Kicks Off Anti-Campylobacter Campaign

    See More
  • UK's Food Standards Agency Offers Web-Based HACCP Guidance

    See More
×

Never miss the latest news and trends driving the food safety industry

eNewsletter | Website | eMagazine

JOIN TODAY!
  • RESOURCES
    • Advertise
    • Contact Us
    • Directories
    • Store
    • Want More
  • SIGN UP TODAY
    • Create Account
    • eMagazine
    • eNewsletter
    • Customer Service
    • Manage Preferences
  • SERVICES
    • Marketing Services
    • Reprints
    • Market Research
    • List Rental
    • Survey/Respondent Access
  • STAY CONNECTED
    • LinkedIn
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • X (Twitter)
  • PRIVACY
    • PRIVACY POLICY
    • TERMS & CONDITIONS
    • DO NOT SELL MY PERSONAL INFORMATION
    • PRIVACY REQUEST
    • ACCESSIBILITY

Copyright ©2025. All Rights Reserved BNP Media.

Design, CMS, Hosting & Web Development :: ePublishing