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Title: FREQUENCY AND CONTAMINATION LEVELS OF CAMPYLOBACTER SPP. FROM FRESH BROILER CARCASSES AT RETAIL IN ICELAND: A COMPARISON OF TWO ENUMERATION METHODS

Author
item Stern, Norman
item GEORGSSON, F - ENV & FOOD AG OF ICELAND
item LOWMAN, R - CANADIAN FOOD INSP AG
item BISAILLON, J - CANADIAN FOOD INSP AG
item REIERSEN, J - ICELANDIC VET SERV
item GEIRSDOTTIR, M - ENV & FOOD AG OF ICELAND
item HROLFSDOTTIR, R - ENV & FOOD AG OF ICELAND

Submitted to: Campylobacter Helicobacter and Related Organisms International Workshop
Publication Type: Abstract Only
Publication Acceptance Date: 6/15/2005
Publication Date: 9/6/2005
Citation: 2005. Frequency and contamination levels of campylobacter spp. from fresh broiler carcasses at retail in iceland: a comparison of two enumeration methods. Campylobacter Helicobacter and Related Organisms International Workshop. I-40.

Interpretive Summary:

Technical Abstract: Frequency and levels of Campylobacter spp. in contaminated broilers were assessed. Campy-positive slaughter groups were identified by cecal sample analysis at slaughter; groups had been Campy-negative in production 2-5 days before slaughter. Other flocks identified as Campy-positive before slaughter were frozen before retail distribution. Levels of contamination were determined using two sample types per carcass; (1) free weep fluid from each carcass and (2) whole carcass rinse using 100 ml of Buffered Peptone Water. Counts were determined by directly plating dilutions of weeps and rinses onto Campy-Cefex agar and incubating at 42°C under microaerobic atmosphere. Confirmation was provided by microscopy and latex agglutination to then quantify levels/ml in weep and /100 ml of rinse. 33 slaughter groups comprised of 625 samples (~19 samples per group) were analyzed from 2003-2004. The Campy-positive frequencies were 84.8% for weep and 74.4% for rinse samples (statistically different with p-value < 0.0001). The weep was more sensitive than the rinse to detect positive carcasses with low contamination levels. When 0.1 ml rinse was used (in 2003) the level of agreement with weep for detecting Campy-positive carcasses had a Kappa value of 0.23 but, when 0.5 ml rinse was used (in 2004) the Kappa value was 0.76. Levels of Campylobacter spp. on positive samples ranged from 0.70 to 6.13 log10 cfu/ml weep (geometric mean of 2.84) and 2.30 to 7.72 log10 cfu 100/ml rinse (geometric mean of 4.38), respectively. The correlation between weep and rinse was R2 = 0.7652 when 0.5 ml rinse and was R2 = 0.439 when 0.1 ml rinse was used. Weep and rinse procedures showed good agreement in detecting Campy-positive carcasses and in quantifying levels when 0.5 ml rinse was used. These data will be used to estimate the risk of consumer infection for Campylobacter disease associated with broilers in Iceland.