Role of attachment to surfaces on the prevalence and survival of Campylobacter through food systems.
Campylobacter continues to be one of the bacterial pathogens most frequently associated with human gastrointestinal illness worldwide. Because Campylobacter primarily colonizes the intestines of animals used for food production, food products of animal origin can become  contaminated with this pathogen and thus represent a significant risk factor. Despite application of numerous physical and chemical interventions to control Campylobacter during food processing, the high isolation rate of this pathogen from some retail meat products indicates that Campylobacter  is able to persist from animal slaughterhouses through food systems. Given the fastidious growth requirements and high susceptibility of this pathogen to environmental conditions, the ability of Campylobacter to attach to food and food-related surfaces is likely to play an important  role in food contamination and movement through food systems. This review was compiled to (i) describe how the attachment of Campylobacter to surfaces influences the prevalence and survival of the organism through food systems, (ii) examine the potential factors affecting the ability  of Campylobacter to attach to surfaces, and (iii) suggest strategies for controlling this attachment process.
Food and Nutritional Sciences, Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organization, Coopers Plains, Queensland 4108, Australia.
Vu Tuan
VT
Nguyen
Narelle
N
Fegan
Mark S
MS
Turner
Gary A
GA
Dykes
D000818:Animals; D001422:Bacterial Adhesion / Q000502:physiology*; D002167:Campylobacter / Q000502:physiology*; 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; D005525:Food-Processing Industry / Q000592:standards; D006801:Humans; D050296:Microbial Viability; D015995:Prevalence; D012307:Risk Factors