Vacuum-packed chicken washes up on Devon beaches

A warning has been issued after vacuum-packed chicken washed up on beaches across part of North Devon.

Devon and Cornwall Police said officers were first notified at 01:40 BST to about five packs of chicken washed up in Westward Ho! and its surrounding beaches.

The force said it appeared a crate had fallen off a boat and the Environment Agency had been informed.

Bideford Police warned people not to take home any of the chicken as it would not be fit for consumption and to be careful if walking a dog in the area.

Torridge District Council said its Public Health and Community Safety Team was aware of the incident.

The council said anyone who found a packet should dispose of it responsibility and reiterated the police’s warning to not eat the chicken.

The Food Standards Agency (FSA) said vacuum packaging (VP) and modified atmosphere packaging (MAP) can increase the shelf-life of chilled food by limiting the growth of microorganisms.

But it added under circumstances a bacterium called non-proteolytic Clostridium botulinum (C. botulinum) can grow in the absence of oxygen.

“This bacterium is able to grow and produce a harmful toxin at temperatures of 3C (37.4F) and above,” the FSA said.

“It is important that VP/MAP chilled foods have appropriate controls in place to minimise the risk of this organism growing and producing harmful levels of toxin.”