Campylobacter Lawyer & Attorney : Marler Clark : Campylobacter Blog

21.jul.06
Massey University Press Release

A ban on the sale of fresh chicken meat is the not answer to preventing outbreaks of campylobacteriosis says food microbiologist Associate Professor John Brooks.

He says the media focus on the comparatively high incidence of campylobacteria outbreak in New Zealand has been triggered by incomplete information.

"No clear mode of transmission has been established between chicken meat and humans. Campylobacter is also found in cattle and sheep, ducks and domestic pets, and water and dairy farm effluent have also been found frequently to be contaminated."

The call by a University of Otago researcher for a ban on the sale of fresh chicken in favour of frozen will not eliminate the contamination says Dr Brooks.

"Freezing may not provide the hoped-for protection from food-borne illness. The number of bacteria needed for infection to occur differs. For many types of bacteria this is in excess of 100,000 bacterial cells, but for campylobacter the infecting dose may be as low as six cells."

He says there is also confusion about the contamination of chicken carcases in the food processing chain. "Campylobacter cannot grow below about 30 degrees Celsius, which means it can't grow during processing. The bacteria are found in the gut of animals and birds, so spillage of faeces onto the carcase or cross contamination during processing is the most likely route."

Dr Brooks says the Poultry Industry Association and poultry farmers have made strenuous attempts to eradicate campylobacter in chicken flocks - a difficult feat as campylobacter cells are also found in flies.

"Infection spreads through a rearing house like wildfire, and birds are transported to the processing facility in cages, so further cross contamination can occur."

In the kitchen, thawing of frozen chicken can have its own hazards -- the release of moisture can cause cross contamination of surfaces and other foods. Dr Brooks says the thorough cooking of chicken will destroy the campylobacter.

"We don't know how many of the reported cases of campylobacteriosis were caused by undercooking of chicken on the barbeque, but we do know that it is difficult to ensure even heating of chicken pieces. This is quite different from barbecuing slices of red meat, which are essentially sterile on the inside and so can be cooked rare with no risk to the consumer."

He says education must be a priority for the control of food poisoning.

"It is common for raw foods to contain pathogens, and the consumer must take some responsibility for controlling food poisoning by preventing cross-contamination in the kitchen and cooking raw foods properly."

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May 13, 2006

There are fresh calls for consumers to handle chicken properly following a new report which has found nearly all the raw meat sold over the counter carries campylobacter.

The bacteria is one of the most common causes of food poisoning.

Commissioned by the Food Safety Authority, the report indicates that more than 90% of the raw chicken we buy could be contaminated with campylobactor.

But we're also at risk from other raw meats.

It comes as health authorities warn we're seriously under-reporting the prevalence of the debilitating bacteria.

On average we eat about 36 kilograms of chicken per person every year

"It's a warning to people that it needs to be handled properly and cooked properly," says Dr Mel Brieseman, Canterbury Medical Officer of Health.

And while the statistics may appear alarming, the food safety authority says its not too surprised.

"It's the cross-contamination with the chicken or other meats onto the uncooked, or onto the glass that goes up to our lips, that is probably the most important route of infection for humans," Dr Roger Cook says from the Food Safety Authority.

The poultry industry association maintain that adequate cooking and handling are vital with chicken as it is with all meats. But they also add that addressing the campylobacter problem is a key industry focus.

And the authority says the industry's food handing standards are acceptable

"They've been designed, monitored and controlled to prevent the cross-contamination, but it's not always that easy to do," Dr Cook says.

As for consumers - they don't seem fazed

"Chicken is one of those things that you always have to be aware of as long as you cook it properly everything should be fine," says one.

And for that reason, the four c's are vital, cook, clean, chill, cover.

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April 5, 2006
Food Safety Web Specialists
Food Safety and Inspection Service

WASHINGTON -- The Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) today advised consumers that cooking raw poultry to a minimum internal temperature of 165 degrees F will eliminate pathogens and viruses.

The single minimum internal temperature requirement of 165 degrees F was recommended by the National Advisory Committee on Microbiological Criteria for Foods (NACMCF).

"The Committee was asked to determine a single minimum temperature for poultry at which consumers can be confident that pathogens and viruses will be destroyed," said Under Secretary for Food Safety Dr. Richard Raymond. "The recommendation is based on the best scientific data available and will serve as a foundation for our programs designed to reduce foodborne illness and protect public health."

Scientific research indicates that foodborne pathogens and viruses, such as Salmonella, Campylobacter and the avian influenza virus, are destroyed when poultry is cooked to an internal temperature of 165 degrees F.

FSIS recommends the use of a food thermometer to monitor internal temperature. In addition, consumers should follow important tips for handling raw poultry. These tips can be summarized in three words‚Ä"clean, separate and chill. Clean means to wash hands and surfaces often; separate means to keep raw meat and poultry apart from cooked foods; chill means to refrigerate or freeze foods promptly.

FSIS will use the NACMCF recommendation to further guide consumers in the preparation of poultry products to ensure microbiological safety. While the NACMCF has established 165 degrees F as the minimum temperature at which bacteria and viruses will be destroyed, consumers, for reasons of personal preference, may choose to cook poultry to higher temperatures.

Consumers with food safety questions can call the toll-free USDA Meat and Poultry Hotline at (888) 674-6854. The hotline is available in English and Spanish and can be reached from l0 a.m. to 4 p.m. (Eastern Time) Monday through Friday. Recorded food safety messages are available 24 hours a day.

"Ask Karen" is the FSIS virtual representative available 24 hours a day to answer your questions at http://www.fsis.USDA.gov/Food_Safety_Education/Ask_Karen/ index.asp#Question.

The NACMCF was established in 1988 to provide advice and recommendations to the Secretary of Agriculture and the Secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services on public health issues relative to the safety and wholesomeness of the U.S. food supply. The Committee is comprised of 30 voting members with scientific expertise in the fields of epidemiology, food technology, microbiology, risk assessment, infectious disease, biostatistics and other related sciences.

Cindy Roberts
Food Safety Web Specialists
foodsafetyweb@gmail.com
www.foodsafetyweb.info
202-669-6951

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Baytril, an antibiotic drug used for treating respiratory illnesses in chickens, is the first veterinary drug to be recalled from the market by the FDA. The government organization pulled the drug from the market in late July 2005, because of concerns over the emergence of antibiotic resistant campylobacter outbreaks in humans.

Campylobacter is one of the most frequently occurring bacterial causes of diarrhea related sickness in the country. Most people who come down with the illness have days of diarrhea, cramping, pain, and fever. The symptoms take between 2 to 5 days after exposure to manifest. There have been several instances where campylobacter caused death. Campylobacter related sickness could take as long as a couple of weeks to recover from.

Some campylobacter infections may become a serious disease called Guillain-Barre syndrome. Guillain-Barre is a disease wherein a person's immune system attacks itself. The disease can lead to serious nerve damage and even paralysis.

The most common form of infection occurs when a person ingests infected chicken meat, especially meat that has not been properly or thoroughly cleaned or cooked. The bacteria form in the chicken's digestive tract and spread to the meat. Campylobacter is especially found in the liver. This form of infection is widespread in developing nations, especially those of the South Eastern Asia region.

Baytril is seen as being a cause of campylobacter infections spreading from the chicken to the person. The chickens usually manifest no symptoms of campylobacter when they are infected.

Baytril has been in use since 1996 as a way to treat infections in chicken populations. In 2000 the FDA took a look into negative effects that Baytril may have on the human population. That year the government organization proposed removing Baytril from the market due to concerns about rising cases of campylobacter in humans. Since Baytril has been on the market the campylobacter infection rate in humans has risen dramatically.

The FDA asked for a Baytril recall from its parent company Bayer, and also asked that another drug made by the pharmaceutical company Abbott be recalled as well. Abbott complied with the FDA's request. Bayer refused to take the drug off the market. The maker of Baytril staved off the drug's demise through a five-year legal battle that finally ended in July of 2005. The recall is currently scheduled to go into effect on September 12, 2005.

Baytril will remain in use as a disease fighting medication in other animals that do not pass on the bacterial disease to humans. If you or someone you know has been affected by a Baytril related disease or hardship contact an experienced attorney through this Web site for a free consultation.

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Food is the most common vehicle for the spread of Campylobacter. Poultry is the most common food implicated. Some case-control studies indicate that up to 70% of sporadic cases of campylobacteriosis are associated with eating chicken.

Surveys by the USDA demonstrated that up to 88% of the broiler chicken carcasses in the USA are contaminated with Campylobacter while a recent Consumer Reports study identified Campylobacter in 63% of more then 1000 chickens obtained in grocery stores. Other identified food vehicles include unpasteurized milk, undercooked meats, mushrooms, hamburger, cheese, pork, shellfish, and eggs.

Most cases of campylobacteriosis are sporadic or involve small family groups, although some common-source outbreaks involving many people have been traced to contaminated water or milk.

Other sources of Campylobacter, in addition to food and water, that have been reported include children prior to toilet-training, especially in child care settings,2 and intimate contact with other infected individuals. C. jejuni is commonly present in the gastrointestinal tract of healthy cattle, pigs, chickens, turkeys, duck, and geese, and direct animal exposure can lead to infection. Pets that may carry Campylobacter include Birds, cats, dogs, hamsters, and turtles.3 The organism is also occasionally isolated from streams, lakes and ponds.

Campylobacter jejuni is a gram-negative, microaerophilic, thermophilic rod, growing best at 42 degrees C and low oxygen concentrations. These characteristics are adaptations for growth in its normal habitat-the intestine of warm-blooded birds and mammals. Food becomes contaminated from intestinal material during processing, but Campylobacter jejuni grows poorly on properly refrigerated foods. It does, however, survive refrigeration and will grow if contaminated foods are left out at room temperature. Campylobacter is sensitive to heat and other common disinfection procedures. Pasteurization of milk, adequate cooking of meat and poultry, and chlorination or ozonation of water will destroy this organism. Several closely related species with similar characteristics, C. coli, C. fetus, and C. upsalienis, may also cause disease in man.

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