2 Sisters’ microbiology lab to help beat campylobacter

Speaking at the official opening of 2 Sister’s foodborne germ detection lab in Nottingham yesterday (September 23) Boparan, ceo of 2 Sisters, said the new “​world​-class facility​”​ expanded the business’s strengths and technical abilities.

“I look to the team here to not only protect our business but drive our business through development and innovation,”​ he added. “We are working closely with Catherine ​[Brown] at the FSA ​[Food Standards Agency] to eradicate and reduce campylobacter ​– this new lab will play a key part in that.”​

Catherine Brown, FSA chief executive, said: “Investments like this, not only in facilities, but in skills and people, are one of the key ways that industry shows it takes food safety seriously and really care about the quality of the food that it sells.”​

‘Raising the issue’​

Brown praised 2 Sisters for taking the initiative of creating a new lab and raising the challenge of pathogens, such as campylobacter, within the industry.

“2 Sisters has shown real leadership in moving this issue up the agenda for industry, not just as a technical issue, but as a commercial and strategic one.​

“Talking the talk on eradicating campylobacter and making it a top five business priority for businesses is a critical first step towards walking the walk and saving lives.”​

She also called on more food and drink manufacturers to follow in 2 Sisters’ footsteps and move the issue of campylobacter up their company agendas.

“I would like to see other food businesses and retailers publicly embracing a commitment to reducing or eradicating campylobacter as a top five business priority and responding to the agenda that 2 Sisters have been instrumental in setting.”​

If the whole of the industry turned its creativity to this, solutions would be found to reduce the number of campylobacter cases and save lives, claimed Brown.

Hundreds of thousands of people fall ill every year from campylobacter, with thousands needing hospital treatment and suffering lasting complications. Brown reiterated that it was currently the FSA’s top priority.

16,000 tests​

The new lab​ will employ 60 people and can conduct 16,000 tests a week.

2 Sisters will continue to use approved third-party testing at facilities in Ireland to test raw poultry, which will then be approved by microbiologists in Nottingham. Its campylobacter programme will also be managed from the lab in Bio-City, Nottingham.

The site has doubled in size, created 20 new jobs and will cost 2 Sisters £2M a year to run.

2 Sisters said the lab was perfectly located to take advantage of a ready pool of talent from Nottingham’s universities.

About 170,000 new recruits​ will be needed to replace staff set to retire in the food and drink manufacturing sector by 2020, according to the Food and Drink Federation.

To find out the numerous benefits in-house testing at the new lab will bring to 2 Sisters, look out for our exclusive video with the firm’s technical director Neil Khandke later this week.