More than 73% of chickens tested positive for the presence of food poisoning bug campylobacter in the UK, according to the Food Standards Agency.
As part of the year-long study, over 4,000 samples of fresh whole chilled chickens from large retail outlets and smaller independent stores and butchers in the UK were tested for the presence of the food poisoning bug.
Figures show that around 19% of chickens tested positive for campylobacter within the highest band of contamination, while 7% of packaging tested positive for contamination.
The study finds that the country's majority of retailers have failed to control the campylobacter contamination during the period of the survey.
However, Marks & Spencer, Morrisons, the Co-op and Waitrose have successfully implemented measures to decrease campylobacter contamination on their raw whole chickens, FSA said.
FSA policy director Steve Wearne said: "We are going to run this survey for a second year and will again look at campylobacter levels on chickens at retail sale.
"I hope that we will be able to see the results from the actions taken by the four retailers mentioned above and others come through and produce much lower figures for the incidence of campylobacter on the chicken we buy."
Around 280,000 people in the country become ill from campylobacter annually.
The FSA is urging the industry to follow certain food safety measures at every production stage to reduce campylobacter contamination before the products reach consumers.
Image: FSA tested 4,000 samples of fresh whole chilled chickens for campylobacter presence. Photo: courtesy of Mister GC / FreeDigitalPhotos.net.
