What is Campylobacter?
A bacterial organism
Found on surfaces, in red meat, unpasteurised milk and untreated water
60-80% of Campylobacteriosis can be attributed to raw poultry meat
A complex organism - has the ability to adapt to a variety of environments
Over 8,000 identified strains of Campylobacter
If raw poultry meat is cooked thoroughly and good personal hygiene is adhered to, campylobacter will not cause infection in humans
The problem of Campylobacter has been worsening. Annually there are around 22,000 human hospitalisations and 110 deaths, but Campylobacter isn’t just a UK issue.
“This is not only a UK problem it is the most common food-borne illness across Europe,” said Francisco Javier Dominguez Orive, Deputy Veterinary Director and Head of Strategy, Food Standards Agency (FSA). Cases in Europe are estimated at nine million per year with an associated cost of €2.4 billion.
The FSA has a clear strategy to reduce contamination which includes plans to support and address regulatory barriers, research and drive changes in consumer behaviour and prevention of carcass contamination in slaughterhouses. The target is to reduce the high level contamination by 17 per cent (to 10 per cent) by 2015 from the levels of 2008 (high = >1000 campylobacter cfu/g). But progress to date has been minimal.
Read the FSA’s strategy to reduce Campylobacteriosis from poultry (September 2013)
The target set by the FSA was done so with biosecurity and processing improvements and interventions researched and proven to reduce Campylobacter.
Speakers discussed ways of reducing levels at farm, processor and retailer level.
Mary Howell, Meat Hygiene, FSA, presented research which has shown that consistent application of biosecurity for housed birds particularly at the entrance has reduced the risk of Campylobacter by 50 per cent. Other research introduced by Jane Downes, an Independent Veterinary Consultant, has proven to have seasonal improvements with regard to bacteria levels when each shed on farm is treated independently with regard to biosecurity.
Alongside the CamCon project (EU €3 million 5 year project into Campylobacter), studies by the retailers into effective leak proof packaging and processor work on rapid surface cooling all this research is providing advice and guidance which will allow the FSA targets for Campylobacter to be met.
The NFU has been able to bring together these parties, “The NFU are in a good position to provide the link between science and farms,” said conference chair and NFU national poultry board chairman, Duncan Priestner.
To promote biosecurity on farm, the NFU has produced a leaflet and poster open to the industry to enforce its importance.
Laura Stearman, NFU graduate and the Campylobacter project lead said: “Today has been a great day for the industry, we’re all working together to reduce Campylobacter.
“We want to continue to do everything we can with the industry because it isn’t a problem that’s going away. And the turnout today demonstrates the commitment there is to reducing the problem of campylobacter.”