British officials were briefed on the possibility of allowing chemically washed chicken into the UK prior to a meeting with the US embassy, according to newly released documents. The Food Standards Agency (FSA) has also been reviewing US studies on washing poultry with bacteriophages, including chlorine dioxide, to eliminate pathogens.
Freedom of Information Request Reveals Briefings
The documents, obtained by the campaign group 38 Degrees under freedom of information laws, show that high-level briefings were prepared for a meeting between a Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) director and the US embassy in London around 4 December 2025, during trade deal negotiations. The briefing confirmed that it would be possible to change UK hygiene legislation to authorise new substances for pathogen reduction treatments, including chlorine washes, following a rigorous risk analysis process.
Ministers have repeatedly stated they have “no plans” to permit chlorine-washed chicken imports, despite pressure from the Trump administration. In the US, farmers are allowed to use chlorine and other disinfectants to remove harmful bacteria from chickens during rearing and slaughter. The European Union banned this practice in 1997, sparking a long-running trade dispute.
Concerns Over Hygiene and Animal Welfare
Critics argue that chlorine washes may compensate for poorer hygiene and animal welfare standards earlier in the food chain. During trade talks last year, US Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins claimed US agriculture was being treated “very unfairly” by the UK, and White House adviser Peter Navarro described sanitary standards as a “phoney tool” used to suppress American agricultural products.
A separate request to the FSA revealed that the agency conducted work on the effectiveness of interventions against campylobacter bacteria at various stages of the food chain, including a review of chemical treatments based on US studies. These reports are being prepared for publication in late May, coinciding with the trade talks timeline.
Campaign Group’s Response
Matthew McGregor, CEO of 38 Degrees, said: “These documents prove that while the government publicly tells us they have ‘no plans’ to lower food standards, behind closed doors it’s a different story. A ‘plan’ can change with the stroke of a pen. With officials being briefed on exactly how the UK could open its doors to chlorinated chicken to appease Donald Trump, it seems nothing’s off the table. The British public wants a cast-iron guarantee that our food standards are not for sale.”
A government spokesperson reiterated: “We have consistently said imports of chlorinated chicken remain illegal and there are no plans to change that. We will never lower our high food standards in trade deals.”
