Danish find salmonella in German poultry–could spell trouble for EU

The report has prompted Danish opposition parties to call for tougher legislation and a ban on meat imports with the salmonella bacteria from other EU countries.


Under current European Union regulations poultry meat with the salmonella bacteria can be imported because people are expected to cook raw meat before they eat it, and cooking kills salmonella.


However, according to Danish authorities 35,000 Danes became ill with salmonella last year, of which 20 died.


In response to the report German health officials said they have checked one of the abattoirs and found no sign of salmonella.


In Germany’s Mecklenburg West Pomerania state, an Agriculture Ministry spokeswoman, Andrea Haase, said, ‘Our veterinarians checked the company and found nothing untoward.’


She added that the abattoir had an EU licence and was regularly monitored by vets, who had taken samples from the shipment before it was trucked to Denmark. Haase also said that it was possible the contamination had come about through incorrect refrigeration by the retailer in Denmark.


The shipment is to be returned, and would be tested again.