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ARS Home » Midwest Area » Ames, Iowa » National Animal Disease Center » Food Safety and Enteric Pathogens Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #252482

Title: Analytical Utility of Campylobacter Methodologies

Author
item ALTERKRUSE, S - Food Safety Inspection Service (FSIS)
item BOOR, K - Cornell University
item COOK, MARGARET - Tyson Foods
item COLE, E - Department Of Commerce
item FREIER, T - Cargill Corporation
item JAYKUS, L - North Carolina State University
item KING, R - Department Of Defense
item MAZZOTTA, A - Campbell Soup Research
item KOWALCYK, B - Center For Foodborne Illness Research & Prevention (CFI)
item PERENCEVICH, E - University Of Maryland
item RUPLE, A - Department Of Commerce
item SCOTT, J - National Grocers Association
item THOMPSON, S - Hershey Company
item ZINK, D - Health & Human Services
item Wesley, Irene

Submitted to: Journal of Food Protection
Publication Type: Government Publication
Publication Acceptance Date: 7/20/2006
Publication Date: 1/20/2007
Citation: Alterkruse, S.F., Boor, K.J., Cook, M., Cole, E., Freier, T., Jaykus, L., King, R., Mazzotta, A., Kowalcyk, B., Perencevich, E., Ruple, A., Scott, J., Thompson, S., Zink, D., Wesley, I.V. 2007. Analytical Utility of Campylobacter Methodologies. Journal of Food Protection. 70(1):241-250.

Interpretive Summary: Campylobacter jejuni and Campylobacter coli are human foodborne pathogens, commensals of healthy livestock, especially poultry, and the major cause of bacterial gastroenteritis worldwide infecting ~1% of the population of Western Europe annually. Consumption of contaminated water and poultry is a major risk factor for human campylobacteriosis. Methods for improved isolation, enumeration, species identification, and subtyping appropriate for the high-volume national USDA broiler and young turkey baselines are proposed in this NACMCF publication.

Technical Abstract: The National Advisory Committee on Microbiological Criteria for Foods (NACMCF, or the Committee) was asked to address the analytical utility of Campylobacter methodologies in preparation for an upcoming United States Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) baseline study to enumerate Campylobacter spp. from broiler carcass rinse samples. To address the FSIS questions, the Committee reviewed the available literature regarding Campylobacter spp. methodologies, consulted four United States experts on Campylobacter research, and examined the current method being used in an on-going United States Department of Agriculture collaborative study between the FSIS and the Agricultural Research Service (ARS), hereinafter referred to as the ARS/FSIS Broiler Rinse Study, for possible use in the upcoming FSIS baseline study of broilers. As described more fully in this report, the Committee acknowledges that Campylobacter species are a leading cause of foodborne illness in the United States and that poultry is a primary reservoir of this pathogen. In addition, the Committee recognizes that the majority of human campylobacteriosis cases are caused by Campylobacter jejuni, followed by Campylobacter coli and other species. Finally, the Committee understands that the FSIS is awaiting scientific recommendations from the NACMCF prior to initiating a nationwide baseline study to determine the prevalence and numbers of Campylobacter spp. in broiler car carcasses at federally inspected establishments as a basis for developing risk management strategies to reduce human exposure to Campylobacter spp. A general summary of the recommendations of the Committee follows.