Al-Fraih Criticizes Government Handling of Salmonella in Poultry

Mohammed Ibrahim Al-Fraih, a consultant specializing in the poultry industry in Kuwait, said that government agencies are approaching the issue of salmonella contamination in some poultry products with an outdated and archaic mindset, employing a “scare-mongering” tactic, by scaring and alarming citizens about domestic products without the slightest sense of responsibility toward those companies that contribute to the country’s food security. In his interview with “Al-Kuwaitia,” Al-Fraih held the Ministries of Health, Municipal Affairs, and Commerce responsible for causing panic among citizens regarding salmonella by stirring up public opinion against national companies and confusing citizens, without taking the trouble to explain to them the health details of the disease, its causes, and how to deal with it. pointing to a number of negative consequences resulting from this mishandling of the salmonella issue, including causing significant moral and material losses to national producers at the expense of foreign products, whose market has flourished greatly following the stirring up of this issue.He emphasized that these campaigns targeting national companies are deliberate, orchestrated, and systematic efforts to undermine the reputation of those companies, as the frequent news reports of salmonella infections in products have negatively impacted producers and exposed them to unnecessary losses, noting that the disease is very common and widespread in all countries of the world, but the crisis lies in how it is handled and treated.

Al-Fraih highlighted the significant risks Kuwait faces in the future if domestic investors are not heeded and supported, especially as the number of countries from which imports are available has decreased from more than 15 countries worldwide to just three, which highlights the significant decline in the number of countries from which we can import. This underscores the need to shift focus toward domestic production by supporting national investors and providing them with what they need so they can achieve self-sufficiency in poultry in Kuwait. If this happens, it will have a direct impact on Kuwait’s food security equation, especially considering that Kuwait’s poultry consumption is estimated at 135,000 tons annually, while domestic production does not exceed 32,000 tons, highlighting the massive gap between production and consumption.He revealed that national companies have faced significant injustice, particularly due to the lack of opportunities for expansion and the failure to grant them the necessary land, which will have major negative implications for Kuwait’s food security in the coming period.

Salmonella has become a major concern for citizens—what is the reason behind this? Unfortunately, the issue of salmonella infection has been exaggerated beyond measure, causing panic among citizens and deterring many from consuming poultry meat. However, the truth is that it is not a dangerous disease as some government agencies portray it; rather, it is a very common illness found everywhere in kitchens, restaurants, and other places where food is handled.

If there is exaggeration, there must be a party behind it? - In Kuwait, in the past, they used to “scare” children with what is known as “the scarecrow,” and government agencies are doing it all over again, scaring citizens with salmonella, which has become the bogeyman they use to intimidate the industry in Kuwait—especially when we know that the disease several causes, and chicken is not necessarily the culprit. The Ministries of Health, Municipal Affairs, and Commerce bear responsibility for causing panic among citizens regarding salmonella, due to their mishandling of the issue and their contentment with stirring up public opinion against national companies and confusing citizens, without taking the trouble to explain to citizens and inform them of the health details regarding the disease, its causes, and how to avoid it or deal with it in case of infection. This has had numerous negative effects on citizens in the first place, as well as on the national industry and the Kuwaiti economy.

How do you view the negative effects of these misguided responses on national companies?\ These hasty responses by government agencies have frightened citizens away from the national industry and caused them to lose confidence in it, without the authorities bothering to take the proper health measures. This has resulted in significant moral and financial losses for national producers, to the benefit of foreign products, whose market has flourished greatly following the raising of this issue.

Were these negative actions intentional? The campaigns launched against national companies are intentional, orchestrated, and systematic, aimed at damaging the reputation of these companies. The frequent news reports about the discovery of salmonella in products have negatively impacted producers, and exposed them to unnecessary losses, especially since detecting salmonella is very easy; any health inspector can find salmonella anywhere, even in home kitchens.

In your opinion, what is the truth behind salmonella?\Salmonella is a common and widespread disease, and in every country around the world, a specific percentage of Salmonella is permitted; even in Kuwait itself, a percentage of approximately 10 percent has been set for chicken products. Additionally, slaughterhouses in Kuwait are very clean and meet the highest safety standards. However, the problem lies in transportation, handling, storage, cooking, and food preparation methods. Chicken that leaves the slaughterhouses is inspected to ensure it is safe for human consumption.

If the disease is widespread, why haven’t we heard of cases in developed countries?\All countries are susceptible to this disease. and even in the United States itself, the disease has appeared in one of its states, where 172 people contracted salmonella due to the consumption of poultry meat from a particular international company. Although the U.S. health official responsible for this issue confirmed that the incident was unacceptable, he noted that the symptoms do not pose a public health risk. The U.S. Department of Agriculture, specifically the agency responsible for food safety regulations, periodically tests poultry products for salmonella levels. However, the law permits a 10% contamination rate, unlike with E. coli, where no infected products are allowed to be sold. Therefore, a contamination rate of no more than 10 percent is considered legally and health-wise acceptable. When asked by the producing company about the reason for the presence of salmonella in some of its products, it confirmed that this is an acceptable and normal rate, and there is no need to recall the product from the market. However, the proper handling of the issue there bore fruit by not causing a public panic, unlike here, where officials are quick to issue statements and announcements about the discovery, needlessly alarming citizens. Looking at how the issue was handled in the United States, when 31 people developed symptoms after consuming chicken from a particular company, neither the government nor the company considered recalling the products from the market. This was because they were certain the issue stemmed from the meat—specifically, the method of preparation, cooking, or storage. It is also well known globally that such infections are common in chicken; in the U.S., there are 9 million cases annually, of which 19,000 require hospitalization, and infection there is considered normal. How is salmonella addressed? - Chicken is considered safe if it is cooked properly and if consumers follow the correct methods for handling and storing chicken or any other meat in refrigerators, in addition to keeping chicken separate from other meats to prevent the spread of disease. For food safety, four steps must be followed, starting with hygiene: production workers must wash and sanitize their hands before and after handling meat. Additionally, all surfaces that come into contact with meat must be washed and sanitized, as well as all machinery and equipment used for handling and cooking, especially when handling any meat. Poultry meat and its juices must also be kept separate from any ready-to-eat food. Meat should be cut separately from vegetables and fruits, and the same knife should not be used. As for cooking, chicken must be cooked to a temperature of at least 74°C using a thermometer inserted into the breast and thigh meat. Additionally, uncooked chicken must be stored in the refrigerator, Fresh refrigerated chicken should not be kept for more than two days, and locally slaughtered chicken should be used on the same day of purchase. Chicken can be frozen for a period not exceeding four months, and it is preferable to buy frozen chicken rather than buying fresh chicken and freezing it, as freezing live chicken is not recommended. How do you view the government agencies’ handling of this issue, and what mechanisms should they follow? The state, including the Ministry of Health, the Agriculture Authority, and the Kuwait Municipality, has been negligent. They must take more precise and careful steps in dealing with such sensitive matters, especially since the issue concerns citizens’ health as well as the reputation and future of national meat-producing companies. In Saudi Arabia, this problem was resolved by establishing a government veterinary agency that assists farmers in maintaining poultry health, provides guidance to restaurant and factory workers, and supplies them with disinfectants and sanitizers. Therefore, mandatory—not optional—training courses must be conducted for all those working with poultry, including farmers, companies, slaughterhouses, transport firms, associations, restaurants, and grocery stores, with the aim of teaching them how to preserve food and ensure it is not contaminated by any diseases or microbes. An awareness campaign for citizens must also be launched, following the four steps—and there is nothing to fear.” As for the practice of repeatedly issuing fines, it will only intimidate citizens, harm the national industry, and drive investors abroad.

What is the reason for the low production of poultry products in Kuwait?\National companies operating in Kuwait face significant challenges, and unfortunately, they find no cooperation or responsiveness from government agencies to help alleviate the pressure on them and resolve the problems they face. Investors suffer from the failure to allocate new land to them to help them expand their operations and contribute more to supplying Kuwait with its food needs, as increasing production requires new land for expansion—something the government has failed to provide despite numerous requests from producers. Furthermore, the lack of direct support for investors in the poultry sector also impacts their production capacity, especially since the government imposes prices on these companies that are significantly lower than those in neighboring markets.n . What can the government offer investors to help them increase production?\The government has a wide range of measures and initiatives at its disposal to assist industry players. It must work to encourage existing companies to expand by providing land and essential services such as electricity, water, and roads, as well as supporting producers with necessary feed supplies—all of which are readily available and easy for the government to provide. Government agencies must also recognize the significant role these investors play in maintaining food security in Kuwait by regularly supplying the markets with specific quantities of various poultry products, rather than relying entirely on imports from abroad. Can imports ensure food security in the coming period? - This is not true; imports alone do not ensure food security, especially since 10 years ago we were able to import from more than 15 countries worldwide because the product was available. Now, however, the available markets are limited to only three countries, which highlights the significant decline in the number of countries from which we can import. This underscores the need to shift focus toward domestic production by supporting local investors and providing them with what they need to achieve self-sufficiency in poultry in Kuwait. If this happens, it will have a direct impact on Kuwait’s food security equation. Especially considering that Kuwait’s poultry consumption is estimated at 135,000 tons annually, while production does not exceed 32,000 tons, which highlights the massive gap between production and consumption. This calls for encouraging local companies and supporting them to undertake the necessary expansions and increase production. How do you view the prices at which these products are sold in Kuwait?\Prices are regulated by the regulatory authorities in Kuwait, which makes them the cheapest compared to neighboring countries, especially for eggs. A tray of eggs in Kuwait is sold cheaper than in most Gulf countries; for example, in the UAE, a tray costs the equivalent of 1,300 dinars, while here in Kuwait it is sold for only 900 fils.