Cook carefully to avoid an unwanted gift, says Health Protection Agency

Chefs are being urged to thoroughly cook chicken livers after a rise in cases of food poisoning linked to the fashionable Christmas dish.

Chicken liver pat is often featured on Christmas menus. Many chefs deliberately undercook chicken livers so they remain pink in the middle however, but this makes it more likely that campylobacter bacteria, the most common cause of food poisoning in Britain, will be present. There were nearly 60,000 confirmed cases last year, the Health Protection Agency (HPA) said.

The agency's Dr Dilys Morgan said: "With the Christmas season approaching, it's important to get the message across that chicken liver products need to be cooked thoroughly.

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"Food poisoning is an unpleasant experience for most people but for those with underlying health conditions it can be extremely serious."

She added that food fans keen to follow recipes at home containing chicken livers need to make sure they cook them properly.

Dr Morgan said: "It has become apparent that chicken liver pat or parfait is being served more frequently. This product is also being promoted in Christmas recipes published in magazines and the instructions do not always stress clearly enough how very important it is to ensure that livers are cooked sufficiently to kill the campylobacter.

"The public and the catering industry need to be aware that undercooking this product, allowing the centre to remain pink, can result in food poisoning."

Campylobacter bacteria causes diarrhoea, vomiting, stomach pains and cramps. Symptoms can take up to ten days to develop, with most people recovering within a week.

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