U.S. Chicken Unsafe

After blogging about KFC's chicken on 12 Nov 2006, a consumer group in USA has reported publicly that 83% of chicken sold in U.S. grocery stores may contain bacteria that cause foodborne illnesses, 34% points higher than the rate it found 3 years ago.

Consumers Union's Consumer Reports said tests on 525 chickens -- including samples from leading brands Perdue, Pilgrim's Pride Inc. and Tyson Foods Inc. -- showed most of the poultry had campylobacter or salmonella, two of the leading causes of food-borne diseases. Campylobacter bacteria, which can be carried by birds without them becoming ill, but causes diarrhea in people. Salmonella, which causes diarrhea, headache and fever in most people, is one of the most frequently reported causes of food-borne illness in the United States.

The National Chicken Council said the report contained nothing new and "greatly exaggerated" the rate of bacteria in raw chicken. The Center for Disease Control and Prevention estimated the two bacteria, which can be spread through other avenues in addition to chicken, cause millions of illnesses and 700 fatalities annually. U.S. Agriculture Department's Food Safety and Inspection Service said the study was riddled with flaws such as a small sample size and uncertainty over the report's methodology. Who is correct? (source: Reuters)
Tags: KFC, Chicken, Bacteria, Foodborne, Consumers Union, Consumer Reports, National Chicken Council, Center for Disease Control and Prevention, US Agriculture Department, Food Safety, Campylobacter, Salmonella, Perdue, Pilgrim's Pride Inc, Tyson Foods Inc, Health