- Print Friendly - Help

Industry – Campylobacter and poultry production

Campylobacter and poultry production

It has been scientifically established that poultry meat is a primary exposure pathway in New Zealand. NZFSA has developed a comprehensive risk management strategy aimed at achieving sustainable reduction in Campylobacter levels in chicken meat through scientifically robust interventions at appropriate points in the food chain, and adopting a multi-pronged approach to Campylobacter risk reduction.

The Campylobacter risk management strategy includes:

• developing targeted controls throughout the food chain

• focusing on hazard-based controls in the medium term

• focusing on risk-based controls in the longer term

• clarifying the proportionality of poultry compared with other transmission pathways

• intensifying monitoring programmes by establishing new baselines and monitoring changes over time

• promoting good hygienic practice (GHP) by consumers

• collaborating with industry, consumers and research institutes of New Zealand on all aspects of risk management

• collaborating with the international science community on all aspects of risk assessment and risk management.

While the ideal is for risk-based controls, given the scale of the public health problem, overseas experience, and the evolving science, hazard-based interventions have been introduced to reduce the public's exposure to Campylobacter.

National Microbiological Database

The National Microbiological Database (NMD) programme describes the technical procedures for microbiological monitoring of the effects of the slaughter & dressing and cutting & boning processes. Poultry carcasses at the end of primary processing must be tested. Refer to Schedule 1 for detailed sampling and testing requirements.

National Microbiological Database

Related links

• Animal products consultation papers

• Codes of practice and guidelines for the poultry industry

• NZFSA’s Campylobacter strategy

• Science reports on Campylobacter

• Journal articles on Campylobacter

• Campylobacter information for consumers, chefs and cooks, scientists, and media

Last updated 3 April 2009