Salmonella-in-eggs controversy

"Salmonella in eggs" redirects here. For the contamination of eggs with salmonella, see Egg as food § Contamination.
Edwina Currie
Edwina Currie caused controversy over a statement about salmonella in eggs

The salmonella-in-eggs controversy was a political controversy in the United Kingdom caused by the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Health, Edwina Currie's claims that "most of the egg production in this country, sadly, is now affected with salmonella" in 1988. These claims led to a 60 percent decline in egg sales over the next few weeks, and angered both politicians and those in the egg production industry.[1] Currie's statement also resulted in the destruction of around 400 million eggs and the slaughter of around 4 million hens.[2] The controversy dominated Currie's tenure as Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Health and resulted in her resignation two weeks later.

  1. ^ "Egg industry fury over salmonella claim". BBC News. 3 December 1988. Retrieved 19 July 2022.
  2. ^ Hickman, Martin (17 November 2006). "The Big Question: Was Edwina Currie Right About Salmonella In Eggs, After All?". The Independent. Retrieved 19 July 2022.