Chicken pate food poisoning danger

Health experts are warning of the high risk of food poisoning from undercooked chicken or duck liver pate.

New figures show that more than 90 per cent of outbreaks of campylobacter – the most common form of bacterial food poisoning – at catering venues in 2011 were linked to people eating the pate.

Symptoms of the illness include diarrhoea, stomach pains, cramps, fever, and generally feeling unwell.

It comes as eighty guests at a five-star hotel fell ill with food poisoning blamed on contaminated chicken paté after attending a gala dinner.

Diners who had paid £60-a-head for the event at The Lowry Hotel in Salford reported suffering fever, dizziness, and vomiting in the following days.

A solicitor who attended the meal with several of his clients has launched a compensation claim against the hotel, which became notorious for hosting Wayne Rooney’s alleged threesome with two prostitutes.

According to the Health Protection Agency (HPA), there have been 18 outbreaks of campylobacter infection in England so far this year.

Overall, 443 people became unwell and one person was taken to hospital.

HPA investigations found that livers used to make the parfait or pate were undercooked, with the liver still pink in the centre.

Campylobacter

Campylobacter can be found spread throughout chicken and duck liver, meaning it must be cooked thoroughly to ensure the bacteria is killed.

A total of 14 outbreaks occurred in catering venues, 13 of which were linked to chicken or duck liver pate. Chicken was the worst culprit, accounting for 11 of the 13 cases.

The outbreaks occurred across the country, with seven linked to wedding receptions held at hotels, banqueting venues and pubs.

The other six were linked to catering in hotels, clubs and restaurants.

The Food Standards Agency (FSA) is now reminding caterers to cook poultry livers thoroughly and avoid contamination with other foods.

In 2010, there were 14 outbreaks and an estimated 600,000 cases of campylobacter in England and Wales.

Bob Martin, head of foodborne disease strategy at the FSA, said: ‘Unfortunately, levels of campylobacter in most raw chicken are high so it’s really important that chefs cook livers thoroughly to kill any bacteria, even if recipes call for them to be seared and left pink in the middle.

The only way of ensuring the pate or parfait will be safe to serve to your guests or customers is by cooking the livers the whole way through.

‘Caterers should also follow good general hygiene practices when cooking and handling poultry livers, to avoid cross contamination with campylobacter.’

Dr Christine Little, an expert in gastrointestinal infections at the HPA, said: ‘The increase in outbreaks which are due to the consumption of chicken liver pate has been steadily increasing over the last few years.

‘Not only is this dish popular in food recipe magazines, it is being served in a variety of different catering venues.

‘If you are planning a wedding or other special event and are planning on serving chicken liver pate you need to liaise closely with your chef on how the dish will be cooked otherwise there is a risk that people could become unwell.’

The four remaining outbreaks from this year’s 18 occurred in two care homes, a school and within a community.