Campylobacter
Campylobacter testing
Eurofins Food and Feed Testing New Zealand provides expertise in Campylobacter testing. This pathogen, responsible for numerous foodbourne illnesses, requires reliable analytical methods to guarantee product safety. We offer a wide range of solutions, from trace detection to quantification, to ensure regulatory compliance and protect consumer health.
Key services
- Detection of Campylobacter spp. using ISO 10272-1
- Enumeration using ISO 10272-2
- Alternative methods validated under ISO 16140-2, providing faster turnaround and cost-effective screening
Health risk posed by Campylobacter
Campylobacter can cause campylobacteriosis, the most frequently reported foodborne illness in the EU, with over 220,000 confirmed cases in 2019. However, the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) estimates that the actual number of annual cases could exceed 9 million. About 30% of cases require hospitalisation – it can be severe or even fatal.
Main source of contamination
Raw poultry meat is one of the main carriers of Campylobacter contamination because the bacteria can live in the intestines of healthy birds. European data show that:
- 34.6% of chicken carcasses tested positive for Campylobacter, with 18.4% exceeding 1,000 CFU/g
- The bacteria are also found in pigs (5.8%), cattle (0.5%), and raw milk (0.6%)
The main Campylobacter species involved in confirmed foodborne outbreaks are:
- Campylobacter jejuni (83.9%)
- C. coli (10.3%)
- C. lari (0.1%)
- C. fetus (0.1%)
- C. upsaliensis
Get in touch
Would you like to find out more about our testing solutions, or do you need tailored analytical support? Contact us today to get in touch with our experts.