Minimising Campylobacter Contamination with Good Hygiene and Sanitation Practices
This informal CPD article on Minimising Campylobacter Contamination with Good Hygiene and Sanitation Practices was provided by Diversey, who offer Training Courses for Food and Beverage Processing Professionals.
Egg Laying and Hatcheries
Trays, hatcher baskets and chick boxes, need effective cleaning and disinfection after use to prevent cross contamination and the hatchery environment requires disinfection by room fogging to allow the chemical to disinfect the ventilation units, air inlets, walls, floor and ceiling at the same time.
Broiler Houses
Changing from external footwear before entering a broiler house into captive footwear which is regularly cleaned and disinfected is a superior hygiene barrier to foot dips and helping to reduce microbial survival.
Poultry Processing
The hygienic design of equipment is important for minimizing contamination and growth of pathogens. In the slaughter process, machines should be adapted to the variation of carcass sizes within a batch to minimise the risk of viscera rupture and the release of the bird’s intestinal contents which could contain Campylobacter spp. as well as other pathogenic species.
At the end of each production shift, machinery and equipment should be cleaned and sanitised following good manufacturing processes and standard operating procedures. At the beginning of each production shift, processing lines should be checked to make sure that no undesired residue is present.
Transportation
The interior and exterior of the transport vehicles should be cleaned and disinfected after transporting to prevent cross contamination.
Training
Having a well-trained workforce that recognises hygiene issues is an important step to avoiding cross-contamination. Those working in poultry processing should:
- Be aware of Campylobacter presence in food
- Be aware of Campylobacteriosis and the impact to human health
- Understand the Campylobacter organism and its unique properties
- Understand the impact Campylobacter has, especially on the Poultry Industry
- Understand the preventative measure that can be put in place
- Be aware of the key intervention points in the poultry process
- Have an understanding of the key solutions to limit the impact of Campylobacter
We hope this article was helpful. For more information from Diversey, please visit their CPD Member Directory page. Alternatively, you can go to the CPD Industry Hubs for more articles, courses and events relevant to your Continuing Professional Development requirements.
