The supermarket group Superquinn is to ensure all its fresh chickens are traceable to their farm of origin and totally antibiotic-free.
Such controls, costing £1.5 million a year, are unprecedented in the Irish supermarket sector, it claims.
Antibiotics are routinely used as "growth promoters" in the poultry sector, though the types permitted have been reduced to two, because of concern about increased resistance to antibiotics administered to humans with infections or food-borne illness.
The Superquinn move follows similar measures introduced in some EU countries, notably Scandinavia, which have very strict regulation of antibiotic use. They have also developed production systems to ensure exceptionally low salmonella levels in poultry.
Since yesterday Superquinn's fresh chickens are being guaranteed antibiotic-free and fully traceable, with the farmer's name on the labels.
Superquinn was the first Irish supermarket to introduce traceability for its beef, using a system known as "Traceback". The Food Safety Authority of Ireland welcomed the move. "Anything that improves traceability and improves assurances we can give to consumers would be absolutely welcomed by us," said Mr Pat O'Mahony, its chief specialist for veterinary public health.
The Irish poultry industry is also developing a quality assurance scheme similar to a successful one introduced by the egg sector.
While there is concern about continuing use of antibiotic growth promoters in feed, enhanced monitoring of poultry by the FSAI indicated very low antibiotic residue levels occurring in meat, Mr O'Mahony added.
Superquinn has introduced a code of practice covering a range of measures, from environmental controls to what the chickens eat, according to Superquinn nutrition adviser Ms Paula Mee.
A "Superquinn select chicken" has to be 100 per cent Irish and to contain no antibiotic growth promoters or artificial hormones.
It must not be fed poultry offal meal or meat or bonemeal - though use of antibiotics for medication is permitted in controlled circumstances, with set withdrawal periods.
The chickens are raised on farms registered with the Department of Agriculture and complying with Superquinn's quality assurance scheme.
Large open-plan housing provides the chickens with ample living space and they roam in special open-air, enclosed pastures.
While there has been regular testing for salmonella and other contaminants and the poultry farmers have been doing everything to keep bacteria levels low, "we are not sure anybody could guarantee `salmonella-free' chicken," Ms Mee added. The chickens are fed "a natural crushed grain diet, which is a more natural, wholesome feed", developed by Carton Brothers of Carrickmacross, Co Monaghan. Bedding is recycled in mushroom compost, which is more environmentally friendly because of its lower phosphate levels.
"By developing a special partnership with a selected number of Irish farmers we are able to carefully monitor, control and trace all our Superquinn select chickens (including fillets, portions and whole chickens) back to the farm of origin. This ensures the very highest standards in terms of food safety and taste," Ms Mee said.
