Optimal interventions to control Campylobacter in broilers in Denmark

Risk assessment

A quantitative farm to consumption risk assessment model was developed

using Danish data and production conditions from 2006-2008 as baseline.

Interventions resulting in the highest risk reductions were feed additive and fly

screens (farm) and chemical decontamination (plant). Including import in the

assessment weakened the effect.

Rosenquist H, Sommer HM, Hald B, Lassen J, Korzen S, Lund M, Lawson L, Jensen JD, Christensen T, Mørkbak M, Sandøe P

In a multi disciplinary project we have evaluated interventions against Campylobacter in the broiler production chain. Taking into account risk reduction, costs, practicability and public acceptance of decontamination, it was concluded that at present the optimal control measure for the Danish situation is screening broiler houses with fly nets.

F A C U L T Y O F L I F E S C I E N C E SU N I V E R S I T Y O F C O P E N H A G E N

Costs

Economic analysis was carried out based on data from Danish farms and a

large company (9). The cheapest interventions were adding a feed additive

(farm) or chemical decontamination (plant). The most expensive control

measure was crust-freezing (€ 0.27).

Choice experiments to elicit preferences for reducing Campylobacter risks were

performed using an online questionnaire (n=753) (10). If food safety was brought

up as an issue, consumers were willing to pay a higher price for additional food

safety.

Public acceptance of decontamination

Six focus group interviews and a representative survey of the Danish

population (n=1,104; ≥ 18 years) were conducted (7, 8). Over all, the public

was inattentive to food safety and skeptical to decontamination, unless the

method was familiar from home-cooking traditions, e.g. freezing and heat

treatment.

Practicability

Due to impracticalities, feed additive, scheduling, freezing, marinade and

chemical decontamination are not the most optimal interventions. Neither is

crust freezing due to high costs. This leaves only fly screening of broiler

houses, which leads to a significant risk reduction and might be public

accepted as no “foreign” substances are applied onto the meat. We argue

that at present the optimal control measure for the Danish situation is

screening of broiler houses with fly nets. However, we are aware that new

methods are being developed and have to be evaluated currently.

1 Hald B, Sommer HM, Skovgård H (2007): Use of fly screens to reduce Campylobacter spp. Introduction in broiler houses. Emerg. Infect. Dis. 13, 1951-19532 Boysen L, Rosenquist H (2009) Reduction of thermotolerant Campylobacter species on broiler carcasses following physical decontamination at slaughter. J. Food Prot. 72,497-502.3 Birk T, Grønlund AC, Christensen B, Knøchel S, Lohse K, Rosenquist H (2009): The effect of organic acids and marination ingredients on the survival of Campylobacter jejuni on meat. J. Food Prot. 73, 258–265.4 Rosenquist H, Sommer HM, Nielsen NL, Christensen BB (2006) The effect of slaughter operations on the contamination of chicken carcasses with thermotolerant Campylobacter. Int. J. Food. Microbiol. 108, 226-232.5 Sandberg M, Hofshagen M, Ostensvik O, Skjerve E and Innocent G(2005): Survival of Campylobacter on frozen broiler carcasses as a function of time. Journal of Food Protection, 68, 1600-05.6 Whyte P, Collins JD, McGill K, Monahan C, O'Mahony H (2001): Quantitative investigation of the effects of chemical decontamination procedures on the microbiological status of broiler carcasses during processing. J. Food Prot. 64, 179-83. 7 Korzen S, Sandøe P, Lassen J (2011): Don’t wash my meat: Public perceptions of decontamination in meat production. British Food Journal 113(5):598-6128 Korzen SM , Lassen J (2010): Meat in context: on the relation between perceptions and contexts. Appetite 54(2):274-281.9 Lawson GL, Jensen JD, Lund M (2008): Costs of intervention measures against Campylobacter in Danish broiler supply chain. Working Paper, Institute of Food and Resource Economics, University of Copenhagen10 Christensen T, Denver S, Jensen, JD, Rosenquist H, Wingstrand A, Aabo S, Ifversen B (2009): Consumption patterns and consumer risks – an overview of the Danish markets for pork, chicken, and eggs and the consumer risk associated with Salmonella and Campylobacter. Institute of Food and Resource Economics, Faculty of Life Sciences, University of Copenhagen

Hanne RosenquistHead of Danish Zoonosis CentreDivision of Microbiology and Risk AssessmentTechnical University of DenmarkNational Food InstituteMørkhøj Bygade 19DK-2860 Søborgharo@food.dtu.dkwww.food.dtu.dk

Feed additive Not tested in full scale, not yet applicable

Scheduling Only about half the positive flocks are detected Campylobacter positive using sock samples collected one week before slaughter

Freezing Marked demands for fresh chilled meat counteracts with this intervention

Marinade Marked demands for fresh chilled meat counteracts with this intervention

Chemical decontamination

No chemical compounds are yet approved in the EU

Rodent

contr

ol or

upgra

din

g h

ouses

Fly

scre

ens

Bia

cto

n

Cru

st

freezin

g

Marinade

Schedulin

g,

freezin

g

Chem

ical deconta

min

a-

tion

(-10 %, unpubl.)

(-17 %, based on ref. 1)

(-0.5 log, unpubl.)

(-0.4 log, ref. 2) (-1.4 log 30 %, ref. 3)

(-2 log, 50 %, refs. 4-5)

(-1.2 log, ref. 6)

FARM PLANT

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

80%Risk reduction DK Risk reduction DK + IMP

Fe

ed

ad

diti

ve

Ro

de

nt

con

tro

l

Imp

rovi

ng

h

ou

ses

Fly

scr

ee

ns

Ch

em

ica

l (T

SP

)

Ma

rin

ad

e

(aci

dic

)

FARM PLANT

0

0.002

0.004

0.006

0.008

0.01

0.012

0.014

0.016

0.018

€/b

roil

er

for

larg

e f

arm

s

Use of chlorine

Marinating

Rinsing

Boiling

Steaming

Freezing

0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% 80% 90% 100%

Totally acceptable 2 3 4 Totally unacceptable