Quantification of Campylobacter Species Cross-Contamination during Handling of Contaminated Fresh Chicken Parts in Kitchens

Abstract

Numerous outbreak investigations and case-control studies for campylobacteriosis have provided evidence that handling Campylobacter-contaminated chicken products is a risk factor for infection and illness. There is currently extremely limited quantitative data on the levels of Campylobacter cross-contamination in the kitchen, hindering risk assessments for the pathogen commodity combination of Campylobacter and chicken meat. An exposure assessment needs to quantify the transfer of the bacteria from chicken to hands and the kitchen environment and from there onto ready-to-eat foods. We simulated some typical situations in kitchens and quantified the Campylobacter transfer from naturally contaminated chicken parts most commonly used in Germany. One scenario simulated the seasoning of five chicken legs and the reuse of the same plate for cooked meat. In another, five chicken breast filets were cut into small slices on a wooden board where, without intermediate cleaning, a cucumber was sliced. We also investigated the transfer of the pathogen from chicken via hands to a bread roll. The numbers of Campylobacter present on the surfaces of the chicken parts, hands, utensils, and ready-to-eat foods were detected by using Preston enrichment and colony counting after surface plating on Karmali agar. The mean transfer rates from legs and filets to hands were 2.9 and 3.8%. The transfer from legs to the plate (0.3%) was significantly smaller (P < 0.01) than the percentage transferred from filets to the cutting board and knife (1.1%). Average transfer rates from hands or kitchen utensils to ready-to-eat foods ranged from 2.9 to 27.5%.Most of the case-control studies and outbreak investigations for infections with the zoonotic bacteria Campylobacter jejuni and C. coli have identified consumption and handling of raw chicken as an important risk factor for human illness (1, 2, 8, 10, 13). Consumers' exposure to Campylobacter takes place either through consumption of undercooked, internally contaminated chicken meat or via cross-contamination to readyto-eat food during the preparation of externally contaminated chicken parts and carcasses. There are currently limited quantitative data on Campylobacter cross-contamination available in the literature. Quantification of the transfer of Campylobacter from chicken via hands and the kitchen environment to ready-to-eat foods during handling of contaminated products is a central part of all risk assessments for this pathogen commodity combination. Using naturally contaminated fresh chicken parts purchased in retail stores, experiments were performed that simulated some of the typical situations and handling procedures that are common in German kitchens and presumably in many other countries as well. MATERIALS AND METHODSSampling and quantification of Campylobacter on chicken parts. From June to November 2004 we bought random, independent packages containing several fresh chicken legs (drumstick plus thigh) or fresh, skinless and boneless chicken breast filets at various supermarkets in B...

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