Comparing European Campylobacter surveillance in broilers
European researchers compared various programs for Campylobacter control in broiler production across EU countries to identify the most promising practices for managing the pathogen. Mandatory surveillance, according to Campylobacter Process Hygiene Criterion (PHC), has been implemented by all twelve participating countries in accordance with Regulation (EC) No 2073/2005. This involves quantifying Campylobacter in neck skin samples and setting a limit for acceptable contamination of carcasses (<1,000 CFU/g). Variations are observed in Norway and Iceland, where weekly sampling is performed during peak infection periods only, and in Iceland, where the limit is set at 500 colony-forming units per gram (CFU/g) instead of 1,000 CFU/g. The PHC limit is 1,000 CFU/g in 15 out of 50 samples. Starting in January 2025, this limit will be applied to 10 out of 50 samples in all member states.
Data from neck skin tests show that less than 2% of samples in Estonia, Finland, Norway, and Sweden exceeded the 1,000 CFU/g limit in both 2020 and 2021. Some European countries have implemented national action plans for controlling Campylobacter, including setting targets for Campylobacter prevalence at the farm level and the proportion of carcasses testing positive for Campylobacter at slaughterhouses and in retail sample testing.
Managing Campylobacter in broiler flocks or broiler meat is challenging, and significant reductions in contaminated broiler and broiler meat can only be achieved through a multifactorial approach. This approach includes interventions in animal species other than poultry and raising consumer awareness about foodborne diseases. The national monitoring, surveillance, and control measures implemented for Campylobacter in the broiler meat chain are not harmonized across EU/EEA countries, highlighting the need for more coordinated efforts and the sharing of best practices.
The surveillance programs and control measures implemented in different European countries can help improve food safety by reducing the prevalence of Campylobacter in broiler meat, thereby preventing foodborne illnesses in consumers. The findings underscore the continued importance of focusing on Campylobacter in broilers, given its high prevalence and potential impact on public health in Europe.
