M01039: Reducing campylobacter cross-contamination during poultry processing.
Tuesday 28 November 2006
This project aims to identify and quantify the main contamination pathways of campylobacter in poultry processing plants and to devise intervention strategies to minimise this.
Background
Regulation 852/2004 on the hygiene of foodstuffs, implemented in January 2006, requires food business operators to identify and control food safety hazards by applying procedures based on Hazard Analysis Critical Control Points (HACCP) principles, Good Manufacturing Practice (GMP) and Good Hygiene Practice (GHP). Campylobacter is a hazard in poultry slaughterhouses. To minimise campylobacter contamination of carcasses, the main contamination pathways need to be identified and effective control steps within and at the end of production need to be determined. Uptake of any practical control strategies arising from the project should contribute to the Agency�s target to reduce campylobacter in poultry.
Research Approach
A written survey of current processing systems, including cleaning regimes, will be undertaken in at least 10 poultry processing plants. Contamination pathways will be identified and quantified by testing various parameters (scald water, equipment, carcasses etc. in the slaughterhouse and intervention methods including effective cleaning and the potential for decontamination will be investigated.