title: The effects of Campylobacter numbers in caeca on the contamination of broiler carcasses with Campylobacter.
abstract: For the presence and number of Campylobacter, 18 broiler flocks were sampled over a period of 18 months. A total of 70% of the flocks were positive for Campylobacter, with higher prevalence found in summer and autumn, compared to winter and spring. Positive flocks showed contamination rates above 90%, in negative flocks this was lower, mostly below 50%. The enumeration showed a decrease in Campylobacter during processing of positive flocks. The numbers were highest in carcasses after scalding/defeathering (mean 5.9 log10 cfu/carcass) and dropped by 0.7 log10 cfu/carcass after chilling. A positive correlation was observed between the number of Campylobacter present in the caeca and the number of bacteria present on carcasses and cut products. When a negative flock was slaughtered after Campylobacter positive flocks, the number of positive samples was higher compared to the case when a negative flock had been slaughtered previously. C. jejuni was isolated from 73.6% of the poultry samples.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Food Quality and Food Safety, University of Veterinary Medicine Hanover, Foundation, Bischofsholer Damm 15, D-30173 Hanover, Germany.
authors.forename: Felix
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Reich
authors.forename: Viktoria
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Atanassova
authors.forename: Eberhard
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Haunhorst
authors.forename: Günter
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Klein
mesh_terms: D000003:Abattoirs; D000818:Animals; D002167:Campylobacter / Q000254:growth & development / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D002432:Cecum / Q000382:microbiology*; D002645:Chickens; D015169:Colony Count, Microbial; D003257:Consumer Product Safety; D005506:Food Contamination / Q000032:analysis* / Q000517:prevention & control; D005511:Food Handling / Q000379:methods* / Q000592:standards; D005516:Food Microbiology; D006920:Hygiene; D008460:Meat / Q000382:microbiology; D018570:Risk Assessment; D012621:Seasons