A startling one in every 100 raw chickens are packaged in plastic that is covered in campylobacter, according to an investigation by The Telegraph.
The newspaper found that 9 million packs of chickens are sold each year with a dangerous dose of deadly bacteria on the outside.
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It may seem obvious, but it's easier than you realise to reach for a packet of crisps you just bought at the supermarket and start munching as you drive home – forgetting you touched a packaged raw chicken just a few moments ago. Yet this is where you could pick up campylobacter.
The Food Standards Agency is urging the public to wash their hands after touching chicken in the supermarket. Campylobacter is the leading cause of food poisoning in the UK and there were 485,000 recorded cases last year, according to Public Health England.
‘The risk of campylobacter from handling raw chicken packs in supermarkets is very low,’ said a spokesperson for the FSA. ‘However, it is always best that people wash their hands before eating.’
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The FSA is focussing on educating people about raw meat – with advice that you should not wash raw chicken and always wash your hands after handling or cooking raw chicken.
‘We would recommend that you always wash hands thoroughly before cooking, mealtimes or snacking,’ says GH Cookery Director, Lucy Jessop. ‘In particular, take extra care when handling raw chicken or raw chicken in packaging. Wash hands after trips to the supermarket and after unpacking any food shopping, as any handling of raw chicken packaging could result in food poisoning.’
For more information about the FSA campaign, visit food.gov.uk/chicken
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