CONSULTATION ON THE ADVISORY COMMITTEE ON THE MICROBIOLOGICAL SAFETY OF FOOD'S DRAFT SECOND REPORT ON CAMPYLOBACTER

Thank you for the opportunity for FAWC to comment on this consultation. Apologies for delay in our response.

FAWC understands that the project behind this report is aimed at achieving:

Campylobacter infection in poultry is not associated with disease and is therefore not of direct welfare significance in poultry. Current systems of control centre on heightened biosecurity, and again this presents no direct welfare implications.

However, the FSA approach to control of human infection from animal sources has concentrated on reducing contact of livestock with their own faeces, vermin, and wild birds. This philosophy of approach may conflict with the welfare desire to remove laying hens from cages and the general move to more extensive systems in many areas of poultry keeping. As a result FSA advice on control of campylobacter may be in conflict with some welfare goals.

For FAWC the most interesting comments appear in Chapter 4, especially sections 4.54, 4.55, 4.64 and 4.70. These paragraphs discuss the aspects of extensive poultry production that may contribute to increased campylobacter contamination over intensive production. ACMSF point out that this evidence is not comprehensive and recommend that more research on relative prevalence of campylobacter in different systems is required.

FAWC welcomes the report as a useful contribution to control of food poisoning, would support the calls for extra research regarding extensive poultry systems, but must point out the anomaly of advice in relation to projected moves towards more extensive systems of poultry production.