Undercooked chicken liver pate poses food poisoning risk
Britons who prepare their own chicken liver pate have been urged to ensure the livers are cooked thoroughly, after research revealed that the vast majority of outbreaks of campylobacter - the most common cause of food poisoning in the UK - are linked to undercooked pate.Figures from the Health Protection Agency (HPA) show that 90 per cent of outbreaks at events such as hotel wedding receptions and public houses were caused by people eating undercooked chicken liver pate last year.
Symptoms of campylobacter poisoning include diarrhoea, stomach pains, cramps and fever, with occasional vomiting.
Between 80 and 90 per cent of sufferers recover within a week, with most cases starting to clear up after two to three days.
The bacterium can be present throughout the liver, highlighting the importance of thorough cooking.
Bob Martin, head of food-borne disease strategy at the Food Standards Agency, said that levels of the bacterium tend to be high in most raw chicken.
He emphasised that chefs must cook livers thoroughly, "even if recipes call for them to be seared and left pink in the middle".
Dr Christine Little, an expert in gastrointestinal infections at the HPA, observed that chicken liver pate has become popular in food recipe magazines, leading many people to include it in their diet plans.
"Both the public and the catering industry need to be aware that undercooking this product can result in food poisoning," she added.
