Supermarket chicken positive for campylobacter

Consumer NZ tests found campylobacter in 26 of the 40 products, all purchased from supermarkets. Photo / Michael Craig

A Consumer NZ test of 40 fresh chicken products has found campylobacter in nearly two-thirds of samples.

Consumer NZ chief executive Sue Chetwin says campylobacter was detected in 26 of the 40 products, all purchased from supermarkets.

The bacteria is the leading cause of notified gastrointestinal infections in New Zealand with rates peaking over summer. Last year, 6218 cases were notified.

Chetwin said fresh chicken, which is not cooked correctly, is considered responsible for half of all campylobacter cases.

"The bug's presence in the products we tested doesn't mean you'll get sick from the chicken but it increases the chances," Ms Chetwin says.

Suzanne Chetwin from Consumer NZ said retail testing of chicken raises public awareness of the problem and can prompts retailers and manufacturers to reduce contamination. Photo / supplied

But Michael Brooks of the Poultry Industry Association of New Zealand said the Consumer test was different to the regulated testing it did.

He stressed chicken was safe when cooked correctly.

"The Consumer test was on a select piece of chicken with highly sensitised testing to pick up the smallest trace of campylobacter," Brooks said.

"Just because it detected a presence on 60 per cent of the chicken does not reflect it had the levels of campylobacter required to make a human sick."

Brooks said reported cases of campylobacter had been tracking this year below the lowest levels this century in New Zealand - until the Havelock North water borne incident.

"This reduction has been on-going over recent years," he said.

"This is due to the collective measures from MPI and Industry put in place at the point of production."

New Zealand's two biggest supermarket owners Progressive Enterprises, which owns Countdown, and Foodstuffs which owns New World and Pak'n Save said campylobacter was common in chicken.

"It is unfortunately a reality that campylobacter is commonly found in raw chicken, because of this fact the testing of raw chicken at store would be of little to no value," Antoinette Laird of Foodstuffs said.

"Across our stores we have strict in-store food safety protocols designed to manage the risk of possible cross contamination."

Laird said customers were urged to use good food safety practices when cooking and preparing chicken.

Liz Luton from Countdown said all chicken sold in the store was sourced from Tegel and Inghams and the meat plant was regularly audited by the Ministry for Primary Industries and AsureQuality and included microbiological testing.

"We take samples from our meat plant every day which are provided to AsureQuality to monitor campylobacter," Luton said.

"Likewise Tegel and Inghams undertake daily testing for those meat products that are distributed directly to stores."

Luton said campylobacter was common in raw chicken and raw red meat, and was killed with proper cooking.

"Simply testing for its presence in raw products is not, on its own, particularly informative with respect to food safety."

She said the company was working with MPI to minimise and monitor for campylobacter in chicken.

"We also ensure that Countdown's chicken products have clear cooking instructions for customers."

Sue Chetwin said campylobacter rates dropped significantly after control measures were put in place in the poultry industry a decade ago.

But she said rates needed to come down.

She said Consumer's research supports the case for regular testing by regulators of chicken sold in retail stores.

"Experience in the UK, where retail testing is carried out, indicates it raises public awareness of the problem and can also prompt retailers and manufacturers to reduce contamination in the supply chain," she said.

In 2014, campylobacter rates in the UK were 103.9 per 100,000. Last year, rates in New Zealand were 135.3 per 100,000, down from 150.4 in 2014.

The Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI) has set a target of reducing campylobacter cases by 10 percent by 2020.

Current rules require poultry manufacturers to carry out testing of chicken carcasses at their processing facilities.

However, not all manufacturers have been meeting MPI targets for reducing contamination.

Data show between January 2013 and October 2014 there were 130 occasions where processing plants exceeded contamination limits.

Watch: NZ celebrity chef Annabelle White prepare and cook chicken, with tips on food safety.

Data shows between January 2013 and October 2014 there were 130 occasions where processing plants exceeded contamination limits.

Progressive Enterprises' advice to customers:

• Hands should be washed before and after chicken preparation
• Separate cutting boards should be used for chicken versus other foods
• After preparing raw chicken, all cutting boards and countertops should be carefully cleaned with soap and hot water
• Chicken must be cooked thoroughly - poultry juices should run clear. Use a meat thermometer to check temperatures at the middle of the thickest part.
For more information please go to the MPI website http://www.mpi.govt.nz