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Pathogens on New Year's fondue - Campylobacter in some foods
Especially at Christmas and New Year's Eve dishes like fondue with meat or raclette are very popular. In preparation, raw meat often comes into contact with various other fresh foods. However, it is possible that pathogens from the meat on other food pass, so the current warning from the Federal Institute for Risk Assessment (BfR).
Raw meat often contains pathogens that can be transmitted to other consumable foods. Especially dishes such as raclette and fondue are particularly vulnerable. The Federal Institute for Risk Assessment (BfR) has now updated its leaflet for consumers on the protection against food-borne infections with Campylobacter bacteria. Here are some tips on what to look for when dealing with raw meat.
Campylobacter bacteria can be transferred from raw meat to other foods. (Image: royaltystockphoto / fotolia.com) Pathogens on raw meat can switch to other foods
For example, when dishes require raw meat and fresh vegetables to be processed at the same time, there is a risk that pathogens from the meat may spread to other foods that are already consumable. For this it is already sufficient if the food is on a plate or the food is touched with the same cutlery. Therefore, when processing raw meat, special attention should be paid to good hygiene in the kitchen, the BfR experts warned in their leaflet. Dealing with raw meat and edible food is extremely risky. Some guidelines should be followed to prevent pathogens from moving from meat to other foods. The updated leaflet of the BfR contains numerous consumer tips designed to protect against infections with germs from food. Here it becomes clear that it is extremely important to always pay attention to the hygiene in the processing and preparation of food to protect against infections.
Campylobacter infections are relatively easy to avoid
If raw meat (especially poultry) and all foods that can be consumed without heating are consistently separated from one another, Campylobacter infections are simply preventable, explained Professor Dr. Dr. Andreas Hensel, President of the BfR. In the kitchen should always be paid to hygiene, but not only the kitchen should be thoroughly cleaned and clean, it is also important that we wash our hands after each step. Kitchen utensils and work surfaces should always be cleaned immediately after processing before other components of our meals can come into contact with pathogens. In Germany, an infection with Campylobacter germs, the most common bacterial disease due to food, said the experts of the BfR in their leaflet. Since 2014, more than 70,000 cases of this disease have been registered in Germany. Especially often, according to the BR small children and adolescents were affected. Infected people usually suffer from diarrhea and, in particularly severe cases, severe neuropathy or joint inflammation can develop.
Cases of Campylobacter infections increasing in Germany
In Europe, the authorities are currently paying close attention to the frequency of Campylobacter infections. This disease is the most prevalent food-borne illness by bacteria in Germany and Europe. In 2014, there was a clear increase in the number of illnesses. The Robert Koch Institute and the European Center for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) registered an increase of up to 11.5 percent over the previous year. In broiler breeding an EU-wide increase of Campylobacter bacteria was noted. Germany not only recorded more cases of bacteria in broilers, but also the detection rate of positive chicken meat samples had increased significantly, warned the experts of the BfR.
Which foods contain the dangerous bacteria?
Campylobacter bacteria are found worldwide in domestic and farm animals, as well as in our environment. Often they get to the food through milking or slaughtering. Campylobacter are more commonly detected in raw poultry meat, the experts explained. However, raw or insufficiently heated food from animals may also contain the pathogen, such as eggs from chickens, raw milk and raw meat products such as Mett. By a lack of kitchen hygiene, it is possible that the dangerous bacteria during processing or preparation even on other food, the doctors warned. If we consume such foods then we can get seriously ill. Even very small amounts of Campylobacter germs can cause intestinal infections in humans. The typical symptoms of such a disease are abdominal pain and diarrhea, the experts added. Nervous diseases (Guillain-Barré syndrome) and joint inflammation can also occur as rare complications.
So Campylobacter bacteria are transferred to other foods
In order not to consume any food contaminated with Campylobacter, we should always take care in our kitchen that no germs are carried off. Such a process is also called cross contamination. Cross-contamination is the transmission of germs from a mostly raw food to another food to understand, explain the doctors. When food comes into direct contact with each other unpackaged, the bacteria can move from one food to another. It is also possible to transmit the bacteria indirectly, for example, by hands, equipment, work surfaces, knives or other kitchen utensils. If we touch raw fondue meat with a fork and then later use the same fork for our salad, the Campylobacter bacteria can be transferred to the lettuce. Therefore, the cutlery should always be washed or changed in such cases, the experts advise in their leaflet.
Effect of heat and cold on Campylobacter bacteria
Campylobacter bacteria are not easily recognizable in food, they do not change the smell or the appearance of food. Also do not spoil affected food. A good way to kill the bacteria is to cook, roast or pasteurise, explains ads BfR i in his updated leaflet. When a food containing Campylobacter bacteria reaches a temperature of 70 ° C in the core of the food for at least two minutes, the bacteria die. It is different, however, when freezing food with bacteria. The freezing of food can not kill Campylobacter completely, but it reduces only the number of germs, the experts added. (As)