QUESTION
SOLUTION
What is Campylobacter
It is a curved, helical in shape, non spore forming bacterium which is gram negative, microaerophilic and thermophilic. The temperature of 42°Celsius which is equal to 107°Fehrenheit, pH level of around 5.0 and less concentration of oxygen are the ideal conditions for the growth of Campylobacter .It thrives best in the gut of mammals and birds but best survival places are dark and moist hidings. It is considered as the main cause of bacterial infections in the stomach all over the world and mostly in the developed countries where consumption of meat is very high.
History of Campylobacter
It is required to study the history of Campylobacter that we move back to the year 1886 where organisms resembling Campylobacter were first observed by Escherich in those children who were suffering with the disease diarrhea, which is fatal condition. McFaydean and Stockman further in the year 1913 separated Campylobacter from the fetal tissues of aborted sheep. King in 1957 found it in blood samples of diarrhea suffering children. But finally in Belgium in the year 1972 clinical biologists found Campylobacter in the stools samples of diarrhea patients. Since 1970’s labs are testing stool samples for signs of Campylobacter and it has become and emerged as the main bacterial reason for most of the gastrointestinal problems in mostly developed countries. Poultry birds and specifically chicken are the main cause of spreading a majority of the human gastrointestinal infections through Campylobacter. To eliminate this bacterium from the poultry farms is an essential step towards reducing health problem to the public of the developed nations. It is mostly found in the poultry birds but how these poultry birds get infected with this bacterium is still unknown and a subject under research. Some research indicates towards horizontal transfer of this bacterium through an environmental source as the prime route of birds’ infections and another point towards vertical transfer from one to another that is from breeder to the kid and sometimes the transmission is considered as both vertical and horizontal and a weak immune system becomes a perfect host for this bacterium to thrive in the conditions of their gastrointestinal system.
Sources of Campylobacter
Any place which can provide the ideal conditions of growth for this bacterium is the source of it. By ideal conditions it is meant that the temperature of 42°Celsius, pH level of around 5.0 and less concentration of oxygen. It lives in the gust of mammals and birds but best survival places are dark and moist places. The main sources where Campylobacter can be found are as stated below:
(i) Poultry birds like chicken are mainly associated with this bacterium. Campylobacter is carried in the digestive tracts of these otherwise healthy looking chickens and is found in their faces. It is required that chicken be cooked properly because this bacteria dies when chicken is cooked properly. It should either be consumed in the frozen form basically the condition should not be ideal for the growth of this bacterium. Other than this hygienic condition needs to be maintained all the time and in all the phases of cooking from chopping to servings. (Consumer union, 1998)
(ii) Dairy products especially raw milk is another source of Campylobacter. Pasteurization of milk is a necessary process to kill all the Campylobacter in it making it free of these bacteria.
(iii) Drinking water should be properly chlorinated because non chlorinated water is yet another breeding ground of this bacterium.
(iv) Domestic and wild animals like cattle, pigs, dog, cats and rodents etc also carry this Campylobacter in their gastrointestinal system and they shed it in their feces.
(v) Dairy lagoons, ponds, lakes, creeks, water troughs and mud also has this bacterium in abundance.
Food Chain and Campylobacter
Campylobacter gets transferred from one to another through food chain No this bacterium Campylobacter is not permitted in the food as it can cause a serious condition called Campylobacteriosis. Presence of this bacterium deteriorates the health of the poultry birds, wild and domestic animals and is found in the gastrointestinal tract of the birds and animals and they shed it in their faeces. Through water and other sources this bacteria spreads and causes problems in the human beings leading to gastrointestinal problems which can be at times very serious and become life threatening. Campylobacter can be removed from this whole chain by properly treating the food like chicken to be properly cooked in hygienic conditions and raw milk should never be consumed. (Fitzroy Legal Service Inc.,2012)Milk should be properly pasteurized. Till the time there is enough evidence that tis bacterium has disappeared only frozen chicken be served as freezing reduces the chances of growth of this bacterium.
Concerns to the Public
The main concern to the public is the food poisoning problem which is anyways highest in New affecting about 2 percent of the total population and is higher by three times as compared to any other developed nation of the world. It was stated by New Zealand Food Safety Authority (NZFSA) in the year 2005 that there were 14,000 cases of Campylobacter poisoning in New Zealand. Out of the total cases there were 871 hospitalizations and the usual cause were found in mainly in undercooked chicken.( www.foodsafety.govt.nz/,2012) The current case of Campylobacter being found in chicken can lead to food poisoning in people called Campylobacteriosis which can cause inflammation and sometimes leads to diarrhea and or dysentery along with painful cramps and fever. Initially there will be fever, headache which can last for about 24 hours. The problem can be in the latent phase for about 6 days and it is only after usually 2 days that the clear symptoms will only be visible after 2-3 days. The symptoms are diarrhea, dysentery, pain in the stomach, fever. The illness continues for around 10 days and is termed as bloody diarrhea. Symptoms differ from case to case and mostly depend on the transmission route. The other symptoms are severe appendicitis, nausea and vomiting. Campylobacteriosis food poisoning is more common in those people who are suffering with HIV and can cause diarrhea. Cell mediation and immunity of a person are important to curtail the impacts of this bacterium. This complaints reveal that the public whether old or young are at a high risk of food poisoning matters. They should immediately stop consuming any such chicken available in the market and for the time being that is till the time this bacterium does not get reduced in the chicken should prefer to eat frozen or processed food. As mentioned earlier in this report this bacterium can thrive in reduced oxygen and in climatic conditions with temperature of around 42°Celsius. In frozen food the chances of this bacterium to survive are minimal and thus the spread of this disease can be avoided to some extent.
Process Ahead
Chicken should be removed from the market and can be reintroduced when it can be proved that it now poses minimal risk to the health of human beings. For the time being frozen chicken or any other processed form of chicken with reduced contaminations can be allowed for consumption in the market as freezing reduces Campylobacter levels to a great extent. Attention can also be paid to hygienic condition design and use of equipments like defeathering machines and chillers tanks. Campylobacter cannot grow in foods which are stored in normal temperature with adequate oxygen level. (http://www.nzma.org.nz/,2012)Chicken should be cooked properly as this bacterium gets killed during cooking phase of chicken. Consumer should be educated and domestic hygiene should be maintained all the time as it will help in preventing movement of Campylobacter from raw food to eatable food. Chicken should not be washed on contaminated kitchen surfaces for example chopping boards etc should be properly disinfected.
The company should try to lessen the incidences of Campylobacteriosis by complying with the MAF food safety objectives and need to take some risk management and damage control decisions. At the same time it should also be assessed as to how far the risk management and damage control actions are effective. This assessment can be made by way of monitoring and reviewing various programmes. Certain research activities are also required to be undertaken.
We recommend that New Zealand Food Safety Authority remove fresh chicken from the market and stop it to be sold until Campylobacter level in the food reduces below the regulatory level. Health warning and proper cooking methodology should be provided on all food packaging in the form of instructions as well as pictures. There should also be evaluation methods to study the impact of the above methods and to haw far these have been successful in reducing the health hazards of Campylobacter. Researchers can be provided with the microbiological testing programmes that are being used by the poultry industry. The complaint is an indication towards market risk and should be taken seriously to mitigate any bad effects of it on the public.
References:
1. Consumers Union. (1998). Chicken: What you don’t know can hurt you Consumer Reports 63(3) 12–18.
2. Fitzroy Legal Service Inc.,(2012), Australian Consumer Law, The Law Handbook
3. Industry food safety , viewed on 15th may 2012, www.foodsafety.govt.nz/
4. The New Zealnad Medical Journal, viewed on 15th may 2012,http://www.nzma.org.nz/journal
Case Laws:
1. Food Act 1981 (NZ)
2. Animal Products Act 1999 (NZ)
3. New Zealand (Australia New Zealand Food Standards Code) Food Standards 2002
Other
LB78
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