The new regulations for Salmonella testing are now in place, and all testing should
now reflect this. The National Control Plan (NCP) for Salmonella has now been implemented
throughout the UK.
Salmonella can be carried by many species including rodents, wild birds, dogs, cats
and humans. The carrier animal is not necessary clinically affected by this infection,
and the bacteria often multiples and is passed in the faeces. This increases the
level of infection in the environment.
The new NCP will test the environment as well as the bird. This environmental sampling
will not necessarily reflect in the risk of egg infection, and so is not directly
correlated with the level of human infection from eggs.
However, as the regulations require environmental testing, it will occur, and could
have profound effects on the laying farms.