§ Mr. Rooker
[holding answer 9 June 1998]: The Department has recently undertaken a survey of the microbiological quality of unpasteurised sheep and goats' drinking milk on sale in England and Wales, at a cost of £11,926. It is also in the process of carrying out a more general survey of the microbiological quality of unpasteurised sheep and goat's milk, at an expected cost of £35,700. The analyses carried out in the surveys include testing for the presence of E. coli in the milk. ADAS was commissioned by the Department to undertake both surveys.
My Department has also commissioned a significant amount of other research on E. coli much of which will be of relevance to the presence of the organism in milk.