EU plan to reduce checks on chickens 'will increase food poisoning risk'

Some experts say scaling down inspections is likely to lead to more consumers being infected with campylobacter

Millions of chickens could soon be sold across the EU without being individually inspected for contamination or signs of disease after being killed, in a move some experts believe will put consumers at increased risk of food poisoning bugs.

Under current rules, every poultry carcass is individually, visually checked after slaughter and before being released for public consumption. But proposals being considered by the European Commission would see slaughter plants able to look at just a "representative sample" if they have a history of complying with the standards set by official veterinarians.