Millions ignorant of chicken danger

MANY people are still ignorant of the dangers of eating chicken despite campaigns to highlight risks, a report says.

And fewer than one in three have heard of the UK’s biggest cause of food poisoning.

Research for trade magazine The Grocer found that just 32 per cent of UK consumers have heard of campylobacter germs and many are unaware of key hygiene measures to protect themselves.

More than 70 per cent of Britons rightly identified chicken as the main source of food poisoning and most know it should be cooked until all the pink bits are done.

But Lucia Juliano, of Harris Interactive, which polled 2,000 people for the magazine, said: ‘Only 55 per cent of Londoners and 51 per cent of under-25s mentioned chicken as the main source of food poisoning, indicating education among these two groups needs to be ramped up.’

Worryingly, 32 per cent of young people believe washing raw chicken before cooking is a good way to avoid poisoning – the opposite of Food Standards Agency advice. Richard Griffiths, of the British Poultry Council, said: ‘It is clear more work needs to be done to reinforce good habits.’