U.S. salmonella claim rejected

Press, 30 August 1977, Page 2

U.S. salmonella claim rejected

NZPA Rockhampton A leading Australian cattleman has rejected an American claim that Australian beef could be responsible for salmonella outbreaks in the United States. The executive director of the Australian Cattlemen’s Union (Mr lan Park) called, however, for an investigation of the allegations, made by a study group at the American Centre for Disease Control in Atlanta, Georgia. The centre suggested the salmonella outbreaks could be caused by Australian cattle eating contaminated food before being killed and exported. Salmonella organisms have been isolated in some driedmilk products produced in Australia.

Mr Park said he believed'

it unlikely that the outbreaks would be traced to Australian beef. In Wellington, the head of the meat division of the Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries (Mr J. McNab) said that all New Zealand works were periodically inspected by American agricultural officers and they had made no complaints of late. Recent American interest in New Zealand as the origin of salmonella had been centred on its dairy exports, particularly casein. It was unclear whether the accusation levelled against Australia could have any effect on the quota for beef imports from New Zealand. “But quotas are one thing and disease is another,” said Mr McNab.