As the UK government readies to open British markets, there are some concerns regarding imported products hitting the shelves that follow US-welfare level standards and not British, such as hormone-fed beef and chlorinated chicken.
What exactly is a chlorinated chicken?
Once slaughtering, eviscerating and gutting have been completed, the chicken carcasses undergo a final chemical washing process, in order to remove any harmful bacteria that can be found within, a process effectively known as “Pathogen Reduction Treatments” (PRTs).
Are chickens in the UK chlorinated?
No. The UK takes a more pro-active approach to food hygiene and safety, which essentially means that the chickens won’t need a chemical wash.
Are chlorinated chicken safe?
According to The European Food Safety Regulator, the use of chlorine treatments were monitored and also in agreement with the USDA, stating that the “chemical substances in poultry are unlikely to pose an immediate or acute health risk for consumers.”
Chlorine washes and sprays applied in the US do help manage adulterants such as salmonella and campylobacter, which pose the greatest risks in consumer health.
However, the EU argues that chlorine washes are simply a method of whitewashing, that covers other areas of poultry production that could be further improved in terms of hygiene, biosecurity, and higher production standards.
This argument is also why the EU has banned chlorinated chicken, as they consider it to be a cover-up of lower animal treatment standards, including welfare.
What does the UK poultry sector think?
The British Poultry Council is opposed to the notion of importing American chicken. Chief executive, Richard Griffiths had the following to say regarding importing chlorine-washed chickens as part of a trade agreement with the United States:
“We are proud to produce wholesome, nutritious and affordable food for the UK population.
“We also know that British consumers trust nothing other than British chicken”.
“The UK poultry meat industry stands committed to feeding the nation with nutritious food and any compromise on standards will not be tolerated.
“A secure post-Brexit deal must be about Britain’s future food security and safety. This is a matter of our reputation on the global stage.”
Source: https://www.southendstandard.co.uk/news/18502032.chlorinated-chicken-people-concerned/
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