Proper Kitchen Hygiene Avoid Campylobacter Infections

Bacterial food infections: Avoid Campylobacter infections

It is estimated that there are approximately nine million Campylobacter infections each year in the European Union. These bacteria cause diarrhea in humans. For immunocompromised individuals, the pathogens can sometimes be life-threatening. The infections can be avoided by simple hygiene measures.

Just a few bacteria are enough

As reported by the German Federal Center for Nutrition (BZfE), a few bacteria of the genus Campylobacter cause diarrheal diseases in humans. According to experts, 500 cells are already sufficient for an infection. In 2016, approximately 74,000 reported cases were reported, giving Campylobacter a much greater role than Salmonella infections, of which only around 13,000 were detected during the same period. There are an estimated nine million infections a year across the EU.

There are approximately nine million Campylobacter infections each year in the EU. The main cause of infection is a lack of hygiene in the processing of poultry meat. (Image: alain wacquier / fotolia.com)

Infection can be dangerous

Despite the frequency of the bacterium is largely unknown to consumers: In a survey by the TÜV Süd called only one percent of respondents Campylobacter as the cause of bacterial food infections.

Campylobacter can cause infections that include symptoms such as fever, headache, muscle aches, joint pain, diarrhea, and abdominal pain.

In rare cases, the complication of campylobacteriosis is Guillain-Barré syndrome, a disease of the nervous system.

In immunocompromised patients, a chronic course threatens and the infection can at worst take life-threatening proportions. A food infection can be particularly dangerous for the elderly.

Lack of kitchen hygiene as the main cause of infection

As the BZfE explains, Campylobacter infection is a so-called zoonosis. The pathogen is transmitted from animals or food of animal origin to humans.

Different types of Campylobacter occur naturally in the intestines of poultry, cattle and pigs and are also detectable in wild birds and pets.

Dogs and cats, which live closely together with humans, are also a potential source of infection. And poultry droppings, which stick to eggshells, can also contain the bacteria.

However, the main cause of infection is a lack of hygiene in the processing of poultry meat.

The bacteria are washed down by the poultry and spray with rinsing water or meat juice on appliances or other food.

Anyone who does not wash their hands, knives or chopping boards between meat and vegetables, for example, with raw food, thus transfers bacteria to foods that are not heated.

To cook meat properly

Health experts therefore advise that you should pay particular attention to kitchen hygiene, especially with poultry meat.

Raw chicken meat should always be covered and kept in the refrigerator at the bottom so that any leaking liquid does not drip onto other foods.

Kitchen utensils such as knives, cutting boards and fittings must always be thoroughly cleaned after preparing poultry. Always wash your hands with soap and warm water to prevent the bacteria from spreading.

Most importantly, the meat is always well cooked, because that is the only way the pathogens die off.

According to the BZfE campylobacter are sensitive to temperature, but they can keep in not sufficiently cooked meat.

The Federal Institute for Risk Assessment (BfR) writes on its website: "Heat poultry and meat dishes sufficiently until the exiting meat juice is clear and the meat has adopted a whitish (poultry), gray-purple (pig) or gray-brown color (beef)."

According to the experts, 70 ° C must be reached inside the food for at least two minutes. If in doubt, check the temperature with a meat thermometer.

Cold is not enough to kill the germs: "Due to the freezing of food, Campylobacter are indeed reduced in number, but not sufficiently killed," said the BfR. (Ad)