Campylobacter survival through poultry processing

Australia has recorded around 100 cases of campylobacteriosis per 100,000 population, each year, since the mid1990’s. Campylobacter jejuni and C. coli are recognized as themain species isolated from clinical cases. Approximately 30% of cases have been linked to poultry. Through poultry processing, fromslaughter to packaging, theprevalence and concentration of Campylobacter can be reduced. Published Australian data on the effect of current processing conditions are minimal. Data from other countries suggests that the stages of scalding and immersion chilling can have significant impact on the prevalence and concentration of Campylobacter. Understanding the complexities of these processing stages (physical, chemical and microbiological) and their effect on Campylobacter species may lead to improved control during processing and hence improved public health outcomes.