FSA to name and shame campylobacter stores
From November, the FSA will name retailers alongside campylobacter levels, based on results revealed by its quarterly survey of shop-bought chicken, in a bid to combat Britain’s most common cause of food poisoning.
‘We will publish details’
Steve Wearne, FSA director of policy, said tackling campylobacter was the FSA’s top priority. “We published details about levels of campylobacter found in shop-bought chickens earlier this year, but chose not to name retailers because the data was not robust enough,” said Wearne. “Since then, double the number of samples have been collected, which better reflects the situation across the country.”
The 12-month survey – running from February 2014 to February 2015 – probes the prevalence and levels of campylobacter contamination on fresh whole chilled chickens and their packaging. Researchers are testing 4,000 samples of whole chickens bought from UK supermarkets and smaller independent stores and butchers.
The results will enable the FSA to decide if changes should be introduced in the poultry supply chain to cut the level of contamination in chickens sold by retailers.
Plans to name and shame retailers over their campylobacter results were first revealed by Andrew Rhodes, FSA chief operating officer, at our Food safety conference on October 16, 2013. Campylobacter infections could even become a competitive area between retailers, said Rhodes.
Sicken about 280,000 Britons
Campylobacter is estimated to sicken about 280,000 Britons each year.
Meanwhile, Rhodes’s colleague John Barnes, head of FSA’s Local Delivery Division, will be joining a top line up of expert speakers for this year’s conference at the Heritage Motor Centre in Gaydon, Warwickshire on Wednesday, October 15. Barnes discuss the changing role of regulators.
This year’s conference – Safe and legal food in a changing world– now in its second year, will provide the latest food and drink safety information on a range of topics, including avoiding costly product safety recalls.
The one-day event will be chaired by Colin Dennis, former president of the Institute of Food Science & Technology.
In addition to the FSA, delegates will hear the latest independent advice from the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA), the Chartered Institute of Environmental Health (CIEH), Society of Food Hygiene and Technology, Public Health England Newcastle, NSF International, Institute of Food Research, Bernard Matthews and others.
The event will be divided into four sessions: Tomorrow’s food safety risks, Managing the supply chain, Keeping food safe, Novel processes and packaging. See full conference programme below.
More information about the event is available here .
Alternatively, email Alex Webb at alex.webb@wrbm.com , or call him on tel: 01293 610431.
Conference programme
08.30 Registration and refreshments
09.00 Welcome and opening remarks by chairman
SESSION 1: Tomorrow’s food safety risks
09.10 What’s on the horizon?
Professor Sarah O’Brien, chair of the FSA’s Advisory Committee on the Microbiological Safety of Food (ACMSF), University of Liverpool
09.40 Food information for consumers regulation (FIR) update
Stephen Pugh, head of labelling, DEFRA
10.10 The changing role of the regulator
John Barnes, head of FSA’s Local Delivery Division
10.40 Where next for local authority inspections?
Jenny Morris, chief policy officer for the Chartered Institute of Environmental Health
11.10 COFFEE
SESSION 2: Managing the supply chain
11.30 What do retailers expect from their suppliers?
Alan Lacey, vice chairman, Society of Food Hygiene and Technology and SCM director, trading law manager, ASDA
11.50 Social media in food safety incidents
Dr Kirsty Foster, Public Health England – Newcastle, consultant in health protection/ chair of outbreak control team
12. 10 Risk management in the supply chain
Grant Foster, head of enterprise risk management, Aon
12.30 Panel debate:
13.00 LUNCH
SESSION 3: Keeping food safe
14.00 Avoiding workplace cross-contamination
Jude Mason, director of client and product services, NSF International
14.20 Allergen control update
Simon Flanagan, senior consultant, food allergens, RSSL
14.40 Safe reformulation
Dr Sandra Stringer, senior research associate, Institute of Food Research
15.00 COFEEE
SESSION 4: Novel processes and packaging
15.20 The latest in food contact regulations
Dr Alistair Irvine, manager, food contact compliance, Smithers Pira
15.40 Campylobacter: a chilling tale
Jeremy Hall, group technical director, Bernard Matthews
16.00 High pressure processing (HPP) in pathogen control
Clare Harding, Deli 24
16.20 Closing remarks
16.30 Conference Closes
Reserve your place here.
Meanwhile, view our photogallery of the latest product recalls here.
