Since chicken is a much more suitable choice than red meat, chicken is generally preferred especially for meals eaten outside. Although ready-made chickens, which are seen as student-friendly, are economical and delicious, they can threaten health. Ready-to-eat chicken, including wraps and sandwiches, is thought to be behind a long-standing salmonella epidemic plaguing the UK and Europe.
According to the European Center for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC), 81 people in the UK have been infected with the bacteria and one has died. Finland registered more cases. Infecting 89 people in total, the bacteria caused five people to be hospitalized for sepsis.
SALMONELLA CAN BE TRANSMITTED THROUGH FEET
Salmonella bacteria are found in the stomachs of poultry and farm animals. Birds and animals can become infected through the faeces on their way to feed, hatcheries, or slaughterhouses where slaughter and processing can also spread the infection. There are over 2,000 species of salmonella, the most lethal of which can be life-threatening, especially for infants and the elderly.
SALMONELLA SYMPTOMS
Patients typically suffer from diarrhea, fever and stomach cramps. In the most severe cases, sepsis and kidney failure can occur.
READY CHICKEN PRODUCTS ARE RISKY
The salmonella strain that has spread all over Europe, including France, Germany, Ireland and the Netherlands, is Mbandaka ST413, which has hospitalized a total of 19 people to date. “Based on information from case interviews and retrospective studies, the working hypothesis is that ready-to-eat chicken products containing contaminated chicken meat as possible means of infection and freshly sold chicken as another possible vehicle,” the ECDC said.
HIGH BACTERIA FOUND IN Sliced Chicken Products
The ECDC said that of the 26 cases analyzed in the UK, 18 (69.2%) had eaten ready-to-eat chicken products in the week before the onset of symptoms. “Most importantly, chicken products, such as slices/pieces used in sandwiches and wraps, were reported at higher-than-expected rates compared to national nutrition survey data.”
PRODUCTS CONTAINING SALMONELLA MAY HAVE PROBLEMS IN THE PRODUCTION
Prof Pennington said chicken feed could be a potential source of Salmonella Mbandaka ST413. He explained that after processing and cooking, ready-to-eat chicken products “should not contain live salmonella.” “An infective Salmonella dose is usually high, so the presence of it in ready-to-eat products in amounts that can cause infection suggests a problem with their production,” added Prof Pennington.