Control measures against Campylobacter in primary production and in poultry processing

Abstract

Intervention measures against Campylobacter can be introduced on the level of primary production or at the slaughterhouse. In primary production measures for hygiene and biosecurity are necessary and effective. Not yet ready for use in practice are bacteriocins, bacteriophages or vaccination. Other measures such as the reduction of slaughter age, or the abandonment of thinning are currently not economically feasible. At the slaughterhouse level also the improvement of slaughter hygiene and the use of the latest slaughter technology are promising, but here are only limited quantitative reductions possible compared to primary production. Other methods such as steam application with ultrasound are still under development and could play a greater role in future. A marked reduction will be achieved only through a combination of coordinated actions at different levels of the food chain.