All raw meat in Britain should be considered contaminated and a potential source of food poisoning, the British Medical Association has warned.

Independent food researcher Jack Winter accuses the BMA of starting another food scare (Dur: 3-32)

The BMA told a House of Commons inquiry into food safety that cooks should regard every piece of meat as a possible source of infection.

The evidence is being made public on Monday and comes days before the expected publication of the Government's white paper on a new Food Standards Agency.

E-coli growing in a petri dish

Widespread cases of salmonella, E-coli 0157 and campylobacter food bugs mean cooks should take no chances in the kitchen, the BMA said.

BSE, or mad cow disease, and its link to the human form, CJD has also raised raised concern about food safety.

'Bacteria love meat' Dr Sandy Macara head of the BMA (3' 07")

In 1997 a record one million people were struck down by food poisoning, 200 of them fatally.

In a submission to the House of Commons Agriculture Committee inquiry into food safety, the BMA said: "The current state of food safety in the UK is such that all raw meat should be assumed to be contaminated with pathogenic organisms.

Agriculture Minister Jack Cunningham heard the BMA's case

"The only safe approach for the food industry and the general public is to treat all raw meat as infected and adopt 'universal precautions' in handling and cooking raw meat."

The BMA wants to see an education programme implemented for the public, more information on food handling, and detailed cooking instructions on food labels - in particular for microwave cooking.

Evidence submitted to the committee said it was vital that food is chilled to below 5C to prevent infection, but too few members of the public and staff in the food industry make sure their fridges are working properly.

The BMA wants people on both sides of the counter to be educated on food safety

The BMA chairman, Sandy Macara, said: "Food safety is a tricky issue because there is so much confusion about what is safe and what is healthy.

"The consumer needs help in untangling the messages about what is good for us and what the real risks are."

"It is absolutely vital that we help the public get a better understanding of the very real dangers posed by poor food hygiene.

"A minor tummy upset may be nothing to get too worried about, but as we all now know, some food borne infections can be fatal."
 

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