The risk of handling poultry meat with Campylobacter jejuni from the consumer's perspective

Abstract: Campylobacteriosis is the most reported gastrointestinal infection in humans, within the EU, since 2005. Campylobacteriosis is a zoonosis and caused by Campylobacter spp. Poultry is believed to be a vehicle for human exposure to Campylobacter. Foodborne outbreaks of campylobacteriosis have been connected to private households. This thesis aimed to study simulated risk factors for transmission of C. jejuni from poultry meat to humans in the kitchen. Broiler chicken filets were artificially contaminated with C. jejuni sequence type 257 and 918. Sampling was conducted on a glove (to simulate hands), a washed glove (to simulate washed hands), a first sampling of a used cutting board, a second sampling of a used cutting board, and utensils (a scissor and tweezer). Concentrations of Campylobacter on the chicken meat used in this study varied between 2.7 log10 CFU/g and 5.3 log10 CFU/g when the transfer of both sequence types onto these objects was analysed. Campylobacter were isolated in all samples but in various concentrations. The highest transfer of both sequence types was in unwashed glove and in the first sampling of the cutting board. The transfer was lower when the gloves were washed and in the second sampling of the cutting board. The lowest transfer found from meat was found in utensils that were used take chicken meat. This thesis further emphasises the significant risk of cross-contamination when handling chicken contaminated with Campylobacter. It is important to prevent cross contamination during the handling of Campylobacter contaminated chicken to prevent or reduce campylobacteriosis in humans.