Brussels, 09/06/2008 (Agence Europe) - According to a study published on Monday 9 June by the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) on pork meat consumption risks, salmonella was estimated on average to be present in one in ten pigs slaughtered for human consumption (10.3%). On 13 May, EFSA presented the results of a study into salmonella on turkey farms (EUROPE 9660).
According to EFSA analyses carried out in 2006/07, salmonella was detected in 24 out of 25 EU member states (Romania and Bulgaria were not part of the EU during this period). Finland was the only exception. The presence of this entero-bacteria rose to 10.3% at a EU level, the highest rate in Spain (29.0%) ahead of Greece (24.8%), Portugal 23.4%), Luxembourg (22.4%) and the United Kingdom (21.2%). Germany is the country with the highest number of pigs slaughtered (10%).
The Typhimurium and Derby salmonella serovars (two kinds responsible for most food poisonings in humans) were detected at 4.7% and 2.1% respectively in pigs slaughtered for human consumption in the EU. EFSA explained that salmonella is the second most reported cause of food-borne diseases in humans in Europe with 160,649 people suffering from Salmonella infections in 2006[4](approximately 35 people in every 100,000). These results will now help the European Commission in setting targets[5] to reduce Salmonella in pigs across the EU (children and the elderly). (C.D./transl. rh)