British officials were briefed on the possibility of allowing chemical-washed chicken into the UK before a meeting with the US embassy, newly released documents show. The documents, obtained by campaign group 38 Degrees under freedom of information laws, reveal that the Food Standards Agency (FSA) reviewed studies on treating chicken with chlorine and bacteriophages to remove pathogens.
The briefings were prepared for a meeting between a Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) director and the US embassy in London on or around 4 December 2025, during trade deal negotiations. The documents state that pathogen reduction treatment rules, including chlorine decontamination, are set out in UK hygiene legislation, and that new substances could be authorised after a rigorous risk analysis process.
Ministers have repeatedly said there are 'no plans' to allow chlorinated chicken into the UK, despite pressure from the Trump administration. However, the documents confirm that changing standards to permit such imports would be legally possible. The FSA also conducted work on the effectiveness of chemical treatments against campylobacter, with reports due for publication in late May 2026.
Matthew McGregor, CEO of 38 Degrees, said the documents prove that while the government publicly denies plans to lower food standards, behind closed doors it is a different story. He called for a 'cast-iron guarantee' that UK food standards are not for sale. A government spokesperson reiterated that imports of chlorinated chicken remain illegal and that there are no plans to change that, adding that the UK will never lower its high food standards in trade deals.
