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Chefs and commercial cooks – Campylobacter and food service

Campylobacter and campylobacteriosis

Campylobacter is a bacterial organism that causes the gastro-intestinal disease campylobacteriosis when it lodges in the walls of a person’s intestine. Illness usually strikes within two to five days of exposure and most people feel ill for about a week.

Meat, and poultry in particular, has been identified as a source of Campylobacter. Contamination may occur during slaughter and processing or from dirty hands, equipment and other surfaces afterwards. Once contaminated, the risk of spreading the pathogen to other food is high.

Food that has been contaminated with Campylobacter and is not properly cooked will be a source of foodborne illness.

Safe handling, cooking and serving of food

If you run a restaurant, takeaway or catering business, the last thing you want is for your customers to fall ill with campylobacteriosis. Poultry, in particular, needs special care around its storage, preparation and cooking to reduce the chance of causing foodborne illness.

NZFSA’s off-the-peg Food Control Plan contains specific advice for poultry meat and the range of other issues that a business has to manage when serving safe food.

Food Control Plan - for food service and catering businesses

Related links

• Educational resources for chefs and commercial cooks

• Journal articles about Campylobacter

• NZFSA’s Campylobacter strategy, 2008-2011

• Campylobacter information for consumers, industry, scientists, and media

Last updated 12 March 2009