The process of freezing meat kills up to 90 percent of campylobacter cells.

 

Campylobacter bugs can cause stomach upsets, vomiting² and diarrhoea. 

 

Families should freeze and defrost chicken if they want to avoid food poisoning, a health chief said yesterday.

 

Six in every 10 chickens sold by supermarkets contain potentially lethal³ bugs that infect half a million people a year.

 

Around 100 of the victims die from vomiting and stomach upsets.

 

For decades, retailers⁴ and officials have known that campylobacter is rife⁵ on poultry⁶ farms but have failed to take action. 

 

Instead an official at Public Health England suggests consumers can help protect themselves by freezing chicken after purchase and thoroughly⁷ defrosting it before cooking. 

 

Frieda Jorgensen said: ‘Consumers will reduce their exposure of campylobacter if they eat frozen chicken instead of fresh chicken.’

 

Thoroughly cooking poultry makes it safe but the disease still infects a huge number of people, costing the British economy an estimated £9million a year in health costs and missed work hours.

 

The freezing process adds an extra level of security in the event of undercooked meat.

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