Bacteria levels 'unacceptable'

Bacteria was found to be too high in a range of foods

More than one in five foods in Scotland contain unacceptably high levels of bacteria, a study has found.

One in four samples of meat and poultry products and fruit and vegetables in the research also had potentially harmful amounts of germs.

The study was carried out by the Scottish Food Surveillance System, part of the Scottish Centre for Infection and Environmental Health (SCIEH).

Twenty-four of Scotland's 32 councils took part in the research.

The project involved collecting 6,254 food samples from all over Scotland last year.

Across all samples taken from food manufacturers, caterers and retailers, 22.3% breached strict government guidelines on bacteria levels in food.

It is unacceptable that one in five samples exceeded government guidelines for microbiological bacteria Rod House environmental health consultant

In the main food categories, bugs were too high in 37.7% of ice cream and desserts, 33.3% of nuts, 25.4% of meat and poultry, 24.7% of fruit and veg, 22.7% of cakes and confectionery and 16.5% of ready meals.

No traces of potentially killer bugs such as E.coli, salmonella and campylobacter were detected in the research, which was funded by the Food Standards Agency.

SCIEH environmental health consultant Rod House said: "It is unacceptable that one in five samples exceeded government guidelines for microbiological bacteria.

"These bacteria will not necessarily cause ill health but environmental health officers will have taken the matter up with individual producers.

"This annual study will help monitor foods across Scotland to ensure proper standards are being maintained by food manufacturers, caterers and retailers."

About 50,000 people in Scotland suffer from bowel infection as a result of food poisoning every year, SCIEH estimates.