What you Should Know About Campylobacter

You’ve heard of Salmonella, but have you head of Campylobacter Jejuni? Salmonella was prevalent in Ireland 15 years ago but due to major efforts in control of eggs and poultry there has been a radical decrease in salmonella diagnosis. Poultry accounts for one-third of meat consumed and is a vital part of our food industry.

Campylobacter causes the most food poisoning in Ireland. It is reported almost 10 times more than Salmonella. In fact, there were only 270 confirmed cases of Salmonella in Ireland in 2015 compared to 2,454 cases of Campylobacter. There is a big increase in children under 4 years of age being infected. The incidence rate is approximately 53 cases per 100,000 population and this only accounts for reported cases.

The Source of this Dangerous Bacteria:

Campylobacter is most commonly found in poultry flocks, chickens and turkeys. It is easily passed from bird to bird and they rarely show signs of illness. It is spread to the surface of meat during slaughtering. Unpasteurised milk from infected cow’s udders and surface water is contaminated via faeces from infected livestock and birds.

Reports have shown that in many cases more than 90% of the poultry we consume in Ireland is infected with Campylobacter and therefore must be stored, handled and cooked with great care.

Infection of People:

Handling raw poultry that is infected or eating under cooked poultry may cause illess. Unlike some other types of food poisoning the infective dose is small meaning that a very small amount of this bacteria can make a person sick – even a drop of juice from an infected chicken can make a person ill. This means storage and food contact surfaces can easily become infected.  SafeFood have invested heavily in campaigns to urge people not to wash chicken for this very reason. Washing a chicken spreads the bacteria around the sink and other surfaces as well as the person washing it. Sufficient cooking of 75 degrees to the core will kill the bacteria.

Good Hand washing is vital and well cited as being the no.1 means of preventing spread of harmful bacteria’s and this is a vital step after touching raw poultry to prevent the risk of cross contamination.

Symptoms:

The symptoms of people who become infected include abdominal pain, diarrhoea and fever along with possible nausea and vomiting . Illness can last from 2 to 5 but can last for 10 days in severe cases. The bacteria can spread to the bloodstream of those with compromised immune systems and cause a life-threatening infection.

Complications can result in arthritis and in rare cases Guillain-Barre Syndrome, a neurological condition can develop (1 in every 1000 reported cases).

What can we do to prevent risk of Campylobacter Poisoning?

• Use separate bags for poultry when shopping
• Thorough Handwashing with antibacterial hand soap before and after handling poultry
• Freezing poultry for 4 days or longer reduces Campylobacter
• Carefully dispose of packaging and wash your hands afterwards
• Cooking to 75 degrees or above kills Campylobacter
• No thermometer? Pre-heat oven. Check weight and cooking times.
• Ensure poultry is cooked to the core and all juices run clear
• Cook poultry products thoroughly until all juices run clear
• Never eat partially cooked poultry
• Never wash poultry as it spreads the harmful bacteria
• Wash and disinfect all surfaces and chopping boards
• Use a separate chopping board for raw poultry products
• Avoid unpasteurised milk and untreated water
• Wash hands thoroughly after contact with pets or other animals
• Make sure people with diarrhoea wash their hands
• Sick food workers should not be present in the workplace

In the catering industry, it is vital that food workers are trained in food safety and HACCP commensurate with their work. Caterers and retailers have a legal obligation to use good hygiene practices when storing, preparing and serving food.

Choice Training & Consultancy have a range of Food Safety & HACCP courses to suit all levels of food worker, from basic food safety awareness to the management and implementation of HACCP. They are licenced by the National Hygiene Partnership NHP, Environmental Health Association of Ireland EHAI and the Food Safety Professional Association FSPA.