More than half of Lidl’s chicken is “riddled” with potentially deadly, drug-resistant “superbugs,” researchers have found.
The results showed that 23 of the 40 products analyzed were positive for MRSA and extended spectrum beta-lactamases (ESBL), bacteria that no longer respond to antimicrobial treatment.
Diarrhea caused by the E. Coli insect was also recorded among 19 of the chickens bought in UK stores.
The retailer argued that it had not recorded any “deviations outside legal levels”, and that regulators had not flagged any concerns.
But animal welfare charities, which commissioned the research, today called the results “unacceptable” and called on the poultry industry to curb the use of antibiotics.
The results showed that 23 of the 40 products analyzed were positive for MRSA and extended spectrum beta-lactamases (ESBL), bacteria that no longer respond to antimicrobial treatment. Diarrhea caused by the E. Coli insect was also recorded among 19 of the chickens bought in UK stores.
The retailer argued that it had not recorded any “deviations outside legal levels”, and that regulators had not flagged any concerns. But animal welfare charities, which commissioned the research, today called the results “unacceptable” and called on the poultry industry to curb the use of antibiotics.
Cóilín Nunan, science and policy manager at the Alliance to Save our Antibiotics, a coalition of animal welfare groups, said The times: ‘Fast-growing chicken breeds should be phased out.
‘They have much poorer health and wellbeing and are more likely to need antibiotic treatments.
“It is completely unacceptable that life-saving medicines are used to prop up chicken farming with poor management practices.”
The 40 products, bought by campaign group Open Cages, were sold in five stores in Manchester, Birmingham and London under Lidl’s flagship chicken brand, ‘Birchwood British’.
Samples included whole roast chickens, drumsticks, drumsticks and breasts.
It was then packaged in thermal bags and sent in a refrigerated truck to a laboratory in Germany.
Researchers also found that 12 products also harbored listeria, which can cause fever, nausea and diarrhea.
However, the report does not include full test results, including the levels of pathogens supposedly present and context on whether they are within or outside legal limits.
Details were also not given about when in the shelf life of the products they were tested or the expiration dates of the poultry.
Connor Jackson, co-founder of Open Cages, which pushes to end factory farming, said: “There is no specific benchmark for what is too high. But everyone agrees they need to be reduced.
“The point of these findings is that they are extremely high.”
Drug-resistant infections are estimated to kill approximately 1.3 million people a year worldwide, and the number is expected to rise to 10 million by 2050 if no action is taken.
Free-range egg farms in Leeds, Powys and Leicestershire supply major supermarkets across the UK, including Sainsbury’s. In the photo, chickens crammed inside one of the sheds on the Powys farm.
In some cases, the horrible conditions distressed the chickens, causing them to lose feathers and exhibit behaviors toward each other, including bullying, aggressive pecking, and even cannibalism. Pictured is a freezer full of dead chicken carcasses on the Powys farm.
Multidrug-resistant bacteria can be transmitted from animals to humans through the food chain but, due to trade sensitivities, data on the levels of antibiotic-resistant bacteria in foods are not widely available.
However, antibiotic use in British farm animals has declined in recent years, with sales falling 59 percent in 2022 compared to 2014.
The test findings are not related to recent supermarket recalls of E. Coli sandwiches, in which more than 200 Britons have been affected by Shiga toxin-producing E. coli (STEC), a rare strain of the virus.
Lidl said the tests involved only a small sample of raw, uncooked meat tested outside of UK guidelines.
A spokesperson for the supermarket said: “Food safety is a priority for our business and all products are subject to extensive quality checks throughout the supply chain.
‘We work closely with our suppliers and a multitude of industry partners, aligning our policies with the Alliance for the Responsible Use of Medicines in Agriculture (Ruma) and the Food Industry Initiative on Antimicrobials (FIIA) to ensure the responsible and recommended use of antibiotics by Ruma. at the same time ensuring animal welfare remains a priority.
“Our own tests show that in the last 12 months there have been no microcontrol-related deviations outside legal levels, and no regulatory body has raised concerns with us on this issue.”
It comes as five farms were stripped of their ‘RSPCA Assured’ status in March after an undercover investigation found chickens living in “appalling” conditions.
Free-range egg farms in Leeds, Powys and Leicestershire supply major supermarkets across the UK, including Sainsbury’s.
Footage secretly filmed by the Animal Justice Project (AJP) revealed that tens of thousands of birds were living in dark, cramped sheds and were surrounded by the bodies and skeletons of dead chickens.
In some cases, the horrible conditions distressed the chickens, causing them to lose feathers and exhibit behaviors toward each other, including bullying, aggressive pecking, and even cannibalism.
The latest statistics show that the average Brit consumes 35kg of poultry every year.
To avoid food poisoning, people should make sure they cook chicken thoroughly, separate the meat from other foods, store it in the refrigerator, and wash their hands and utensils after handling raw meat, according to the Food Standards Agency (FSA).
Chicken should also not be washed because it can spread bacteria to other parts of the kitchen, he added.