'Stamp out dangerous bug'

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More must be done to stamp out dangerous bacteria in one of our favourite foods, a leading researcher says.

Otago University associate professor of public health Dr Michael Baker says legislation is needed to stop more Kiwis getting sick from campylobacter in fresh chicken.

The poultry industry "deserves huge credit" for halving infection rates since 2007, but most fresh chicken was "still highly contaminated", said Baker.

His research prompted public outcry in 2006 and an overhaul of the industry's procedures.

Last year 839 cases of campylobacteriosis were reported to health authorities, who say poultry is the primary source of infection.

The Herald on Sunday conducted a scientific survey of 10 packets of fresh chicken from five Auckland stores. Seven tested positive for campylobacter.

It is understood that an industry guideline suggests a positive result in two of every five samples of fresh poultry is reasonable, half the percentage we found.

Baker and the New Zealand Food Safety Authority were not surprised by our results.

But retailers played them down, saying it was hard to compare levels of contamination to industry guidelines because of differences in testing methods.

The paper randomly selected one packet of fresh chicken breasts and one packet of thighs from Auckland stores New World Victoria Park; Mad Butcher New Lynn; Nosh Food Market Ponsonby; Pak'nSave Mt Albert and Foodtown, Blockhouse Bay.

Testing at an independent commercial laboratory revealed the campylobacter was below detectable level in the breasts from Pak'nSave and Foodtown (Fresh Zone), and in New World chicken thighs (Tegel).

Amounts around the 0.3 detectable level were found in Foodtown's chicken thighs (Fresh Zone), Mad Butcher thighs and breasts (Tegel), and Waitoa brand free-range thighs from Nosh.

The highest levels were in the Tegel chicken breasts from New World - a measurement of 46 most probable number per gram or MPN/g - and the Pak'nSave thighs at 9.3 MPN/g.

The retailers and New Zealand Poultry Industry Association say they pay more attention to levels of contamination rather than number of samples contaminated.

They argue contamination remains at comparatively low levels and consumers should always ensure they cook chicken properly to kill the bug.

The Food Safety Authority's campylobacter risk management strategy document for 2010-2013 says the relationship between levels of contamination and illness "is not well established".

"Nevertheless it can be assumed that the smaller the exposure, the [more] likely [the] reduction in the incidence of human illness. The incidence of campylobacteriosis in NZ is unacceptably high."

Baker said it was unreasonable to expect consumers to take the steps required to kill the bug and avoid cross-contamination "all of the time. The problem is not cooking it. The problem is all the things that happen before it is cooked. It's the most popular meat in New Zealand and every New Zealander is consuming more than 25kg of poultry each year."

He said huge quantities of viable campylobacter were going on to benches, hands and knives. Any surface that came into contact with the raw chicken needed to be sterilised.

He said the problem could be solved by adopting a model used by Icelandic authorities.

Chicken producers there can sell contaminated meat only in frozen form because freezing kills the bacteria.

Rob Chemaly, general manager of retail at Foodstuffs - parent company of New World and Pak'nSave - said stores were "concerned" about levels of campylobacter in raw chicken supplied by Tegel.

It is working to reduce contamination in fresh produce.

Nosh Food Market's Chris Moore and Mad Butcher chief executive Michael Morton said levels of campylobacter found in their products were safe.

"In fact, a level of 0.3 as reported in one product is within the margin of error of testing," Moore said.

"Consumers can rest assured Nosh has a range of stringent and tested checks and balances that ensure all products available at our stores at least conform to, if not surpass, relevant food standards."

Morton said: "Chicken and other raw meats will have bacteria on them. If you swab any human being you will also find plenty of bacteria, many of which can be harmful."

Both emphasised the importance of proper food handling and cooking.

A spokesman for Food Safety Minister Kate Wilkinson said: "NZFSA is successfully tackling rates of campylobacter poisoning alongside the poultry industry through a targeted campaign, which is ongoing."

Poultry Industry Association chief Michael Brooks said the test results showed far lower contamination than in European chicken.

Industry efforts had yielded a 60 per cent decrease in confirmed cases of campylo-bacteriosis in the past four years and it was working to further reduce contamination.

The facts

* Illness usually strikes within two to five days of exposure so many people are unable to identify the cause.

* The infection can leave patients ill for up to 10 days.

* The symptoms are severe. Some patients need hospitalisation and complications can be fatal.

* Symptoms include muscle pain, stomach cramps, nausea, headaches or fever followed by sudden watery diarrhoea that may contain blood.

* During the illness, and up to two weeks afterwards, bacteria are shed from the gut and can survive on hands and moist surfaces for up to an hour.

Source: New Zealand Food Safety Authority