News
27.10.2020 - Foods
Salmonella and Campylobacter caused the most foodborne disease outbreaks in 2019
On 29.09.2020, the joint report by the Federal Office of Consumer Protection and Food Safety (BVL) and the Robert Koch Institute on the reportable outbreak events related to food in 2019 was released.
This report highlights that within these reports, the pathogen Salmonella spp., in contrast to previous years, accounted for the largest share of foodborne disease outbreaks. At 39%, the proportion of salmonellosis outbreaks was significantly higher than in the previous year (2018: 21%). Most of these infections were caused by the consumption of "eggs and egg products". In 2019, one person in Germany died from a salmonella infection.
In 12.1% of all foodborne disease outbreaks with high evidence, Campylobacter spp. was responsible. The main infection route for Campylobacter was raw milk. In 2019, despite numerous hospitalizations, there were no fatalities due to Campylobacter.
These pathogens are particularly relevant in ice cream production if raw milk is used.
Since campylobacteriosis represents the most common foodborne infectious diseases in Europe and Germany for years, we have compiled some important information on these bacteria below.
Information on "Thermotolerant Campylobacter
(particularly Campylobacter jejuni)"
General Information and Origin
Thermotolerant Campylobacter or Campylobacter jejuni are the most common causes of bacterial food infections in Europe. The most important pathogenic species for humans are C. jejuni and C. coli.
These bacteria are particularly widespread in poultry or poultry meat. However, they also regularly occur in other animal species such as cattle, sheep, and pigs.
Importance
- Since the minimal infectious dose of Campylobacter jejuni is relatively low (100 to 1000 germs), even small numbers can cause campylobacteriosis. Multiplication of these germs in the food is not required for this purpose.
- At room temperature and when oxygen is available, the germs die relatively quickly, but they can survive in vacuum packaging or modified atmospheres at cooling temperatures for a longer period of several weeks.
Disease Pattern
- Incubation period: 1-7 days
- Duration of illness: a few days up to a week
- Symptoms: Diarrhea (also bloody), vomiting, abdominal pain, high fever, headache. The course of the enteritis (inflammatory bowel infection) is relatively severe.
- Further complications are rare but can occur (infections of other organs, joint inflammation, and Guillain-Barré syndrome)
- In comparison to other food poisonings like salmonellosis, it is more prolonged and severe.
Main Causes of Increased Germ Counts or Diseases
- Consumption or use of raw milk without appropriate heat treatment
- Insufficient heating of raw meat
- Poor slaughter hygiene and contamination of animal resources (especially poultry meat)
- Hygiene errors during manufacture
- Cross-contaminations
Examples of Affected Foods
- Poultry meat and offal
- Meat from warm-blooded wild, farm, and domestic animals
- Food contaminated by cross-contamination
- Raw milk and products made with raw milk
- Surface water
Growth Conditions
- Temperature: Growth at 25 – 47 °C
- pH value: Growth at 4.9 – 9.0
- aw-value: Growth up to min. 0.98
- Salt tolerance: 0.16 – 1.55%, but strongly influenced by temperature and pH value
- Oxygen requirement: microaerophilic, growth only under a reduced oxygen atmosphere
At What Temperatures Do These Microorganisms Die?
Generally, it can be assumed that these bacteria are killed when heated to +72 °C for at least two minutes or through a similarly effective process. In foods, it must be noted that this temperature-time combination must be reached in the core of the product to effectively eliminate the bacteria.
We are pleased to assist you as a partner with these topics and challenges. For questions, you can always contact your customer advisor.
Sources:
- BVL: www.bvl.bund.de-foodborne-disease-outbreaks
- BfR: www.bfr.bund.de-salmonella
- BfR: www.bfr.bund.de/importance_of_salmonella_as_pathogens
- BfR: www.bfr.bund.de-campylobacter
- BAV-Institut: Factsheet on Thermotolerant Campylobacter and Factsheet on "Salmonella"
- German Food Association: Circular L-629-2020