Danger bacterium found in German poultry in Denmark

Danger bacterium salmonella was found in German poultry sold in Danish supermarkets. The Scandinavian country intends to stop or impose restrictions on import meat from other European Union countries.

Photo: Danger bacterium found in German poultry in Denmark

Danger bacterium found in German poultry in Denmark

Newspaper Politiken over the weekend said it tested 10 packages of turkey from a German slaughterhouse, and found all carried the bacteria. Jensen said Danish authorities had informed their German counterparts of the contaminated products, reportedly originating from the Franziska Stolle butchery.

"We just informed them that we have had problems with products from a German slaughterhouse," Jensen stressed. The report triggered calls for new legislation to stop imports of EU products infected with salmonella. Currently many such products are allowed under EU regulations because people are expected to cook raw meat before they eat it, and cooking kills salmonella, Jensen said.

He said the government has tasked a committee with studying the need for special import restrictions. Salmonella causes diarrhea, fever and abdominal cramps and in some cases requires hospitalization. It can be deadly unless infected people are treated right away with antibiotics, reports the AP.

N.U.