A former Northern Ireland Secretary of State, Theresa Villiers, has urged the government to take a firm position regarding chicken imports when negotiating a future trade deal with the US.
The European Union bans chlorinated chicken and hormone-treated beef from entering its markets.
Downing Street has now refused to stand by an earlier pledge to keep so-called ‘chlorinated chicken’off UK shelves.
Poultry industry producers warned they are more concerned with rising imports from China, and the lack of information on welfare standards, than the potential import for chlorinated chicken on shop shelves.