A new study has found antibiotic-resistant strains of E.coli in a quarter of chicken bought from major supermarket chains.
The bacteria - which can cause stomach pain and kidney failure, and in severe cases can lead to death - was found in 22 of 29 samples, purchased from supermarkets including Tesco, Sainsbury’s and Asda.
This raises serious concerns about factory farms and the safety of fresh meat.
“Every time someone falls ill, instead of just getting a food poisoning bug they might also be getting a bug that is antibiotic resistant [which makes it difficult for doctors to treat],” research leader Dr. Mark Holmes told the Daily Mail.
According to Public Health England figures, last year in England alone, E.coli was linked to the deaths of over 5,500 people.
This has led Sally Davies, the chief medical officer for England to warn of a ”catastrophic threat.”
"If we don’t act now, any one of us could go into hospital in 20 years for minor surgery and die because of an ordinary infection that can’t be treated by antibiotics,” she said.
Precautions include washing hands after contact with raw food and making sure to cook meat thoroughly.
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