NZ Food Safety to test Salmonella in poultry stocks

New Zealand Food Safety (NZFS) announced it is extending its testing program to determine the extent of Salmonella Enteritidis (SE) in poultry flocks in New Zealand to protect consumers from the deadly bacterium.

NZFS has previously been carrying out tracing and testing of poultry operations after SE was found at an Auckland poultry farm.

These efforts focused on egg producers rather than meat as farms have existing measures to protect against Salmonella and cooking chicken meat kills the bacterium.

As a result, restrictions have been placed on three North Island egg layer operations, preventing potentially infected eggs from reaching consumers.

“The new testing program widens our focus and includes 20 egg-laying facilities and five chick rearers that collectively account for 80% the industry’s table eggs,” said Deputy Director-General Vincent Arbuckle.

“Consumer safety is our number one priority here. While we think the overall risk to consumers is low, there is developing evidence of a potential link between poultry and recent cases of SE in humans. We consider this testing to be part of our precautionary measures to limit risk to consumers and industry.”

NZFS said the poultry industry supports this approach as well as its plans to introduce further regulatory controls for the risk of SE.

Arbuckle said NZ Food Safety expected the testing program to take about two months.

“We’ve contacted the facilities involved and will work with them to carry out the testing. Where there is evidence that implicates food products, actions will be taken as appropriate, to protect consumers.”

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