Food Act Report 2009/2010 - SA Health - SA.Gov.au

Appendix 7A Survey to Measure the Microbiological Safety of RawChicken Meat Available for Retail SaleAims and Scope of the InvestigationThe purpose of this survey was to determine the microbiological quality of raw chicken meat available for retail sale inSouth Australia. Products sampled included chicken breast fillet, chicken thigh fillet, chicken maryland, chicken wings,chicken drumsticks, mixed chicken portion and chicken chops purchased from supermarkets, butchers, gourmetshops, continental stores and delicatessens. Samples were analysed for Campylobacter spp. and Salmonella spp.and reviewed for compliance with the labelling requirements of the Australia New Zealand Food Standards Code(the Code).The survey is currently in its first year of a five-year sampling plan and SA Health will continue to sample andanalyse the microbiological quality of raw chicken periodically. From this information it can be determined whetherthe development and implementation of the Primary Production and Processing Standard for Poultry Meat iseffective in reducing the prevalence of salmonella and campylobacter and ultimately reducing the likelihood ofillness to consumers.Background to the surveyChicken meat is a commonly consumed food in Australia, with 80% of people consuming chicken meat within anyseven-day period. Similarly, chicken meat is one of the most commonly identified causes of food borne illness bySA Health.For the period of 1 July 2009 to 30 June 2010 there were a total of 1496 cases of Campylobacter infection and626 cases of Salmonella spp. infection reported to SA Health.Of the total 2251 cases of food borne illnesses reported to SA Health for the period of 1 July 2009 to 30 June 2010,66.5% were due to Campylobacter and 27.8% were due to Salmonella spp.While other meats and much less commonly other foods carry these bacteria less commonly, raw chicken is the mainsource. Cooking will kill the bacteria but undercooking and more importantly, cross-contamination from raw chickenor its drip to ready-to-eat foods, can result in illness.Results obtained during this survey may provide a benchmark for determining risk in the future. The following chartshighlight the number of human Salmonella spp. and Campylobacter cases (from all potential sources) in South Australia(July 2009 to June 2010).Notifications of Salmonella in SA, July 2009 - June 2010Number of notifications9080706050403020100Jul-09Aug-09Sep-09Oct-09Nov-09Dec-09Jan-10Feb-10Mar-10Apr-10May-10Jun-10MonthFood Act Report Year ending 30 June 2010 page 64