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Implementation of Standard 4.2.2 - The Primary Production and Processing Standard for Poultry Meat in Queensland – Birds, Bacteria and Baselines.

Published: November 13, 2014
By: Dr. Andrew Wilson (Safe Food Production Queensland Newstead QLD)
Introduction
The operation of a robust through-chain food safety framework that operates from production to final consumer is imperative to secure a sustainable supply of acceptable food to the public. In May 2012, Section 4.2.2 - Primary Production and Processing Standard for Poultry Meat developed by Food Standards Australia New Zealand (FSANZ) was gazetted by the Queensland Government to support a through-chain approach to food regulation in the poultry meat industry.
As part of the implementation process, Safe Food Production Queensland (SFPQ) identified the need to conduct a microbiological survey to ascertain current baselines with regards to the presence and level of pathogenic bacteria on chicken meat produced and processed in Queensland. Additionally, SFPQ reviewed its regulatory framework within the poultry meat industry, to assess the effectiveness of the existing control measures in-place and identify the most important interventions in controlling significant food safety hazards inherent within the poultry meat industry.
Poultry Meat Food Safety
It is well documented in a number of previous scientific risk assessments that the main microbiological hazards associated with the production of poultry meat are contamination with Salmonella and Campylobacter. The prevalence and concentration of these pathogens were significantly affected by a number of factors through primary production, processing, retail and consumer chains (Pointon et al. 2008; FSANZ, 2010). Under current regulatory arrangements, poultry meat processors are responsible for maintaining effective hazard management programs (incorporating HACCP principles). These programs should be capable of identifying and addressing the risks associated with the production of poultry meat, particularly with regards to reducing the prevalence and concentration of microbiological pathogens associated with poultry meat through the production chain.
Despite these measures, both salmonellosis and campylobacteriosis represent the two most numerically significant gastrointestinal conditions observed in Queensland (NNDSS, 2014). There have been increasing rates of infection involving these pathogens observed on a local and national scale, with notification rates more than doubling since 1993, with a large percentage of these being linked to chicken meat (NNDSS, 2014). This trend has also been reflected internationally, with significantly high rates of Campylobacter reported in the European Union, the United Kingdom and the United States in the past 3 years (CDC, 2014; EFSA, 2014). Although poultry meat is not the sole source of Campylobacter bacteria (it has been associated with a number of other common food commodities), it is well known to be associated with incidences of foodborne illness resulting from mishandling, undercooking and cross-contamination. Additionally, information collected in conjunction with notifications for these illnesses noted that there was significant evidence to suggest a proportion of campylobacteriosis, and to a lesser extent salmonellosis, cases reported in the public health sector could be linked to the consumption of poultry meat (OzFoodNet, 2010).
Implementation of Standard 4.2.2
In order to bring the elements of the new Primary Production and Processing (PPP) Standard for Poultry Meat into complete effect, an evaluation of the effectiveness of the food safety measures currently in operation in regards to complying with the outcomes of the new standard was undertaken. As a component of this evaluation, SFPQ conducted a systematic scientific and technical assessment of the chicken meat industry production and processing chain in order to deliver an industry baseline that identified and documented critical control points through this chain. Additionally, SFPQ formed a working-group partnership with accredited poultry meat processors to regularly consult on baseline development, report on assessment results and agree on on-going industry targets and protocols for the assessment of compliance into the future.
Poultry Meat Baseline Development
Under the requirements of both the Australian Standard for Construction of Premises and Hygienic Production of Poultry Meat for Human Consumption (AS4465:2005) and Standard 4.4.2 of the Australia New Zealand Food Standards Code, all hazards associated with the production of poultry meat, including microbiological, must be controlled through the processing chain to produce a product that is safe and wholesome. In accounting for this, an initial baseline map of all activities was created to document all activities that occur through the supply chain, along with the associated hazards and risks. This baseline was refined, in consultation with industry, to capture specific monitoring points that were the most effective in providing control of hazards and improving the safety and sustainability of poultry meat products in Queensland (Figure 1). Four separate verification points were identified:
a)      Live-bird receival;
b)      Evisceration;
c)      Carcase washing and chilling; and,
d)     Product storage.
It was hypothesised that intensive and active monitoring of critical processes at these points would provide more efficient and effective verification data relating to hazard control measures along the chain than the current strategies of process control.
Figure 1. The Primary Production and Processing Baseline as developed by SFPQ with industry control points, developed SOPs (SOP) and verification points (VP) indicated.
As part of the development of this baseline, a set of strategic standard operating procedures (SOPs) based on international best-practice were established to be implemented in processing facilities. Each of these SOPs provided a minimum amount of prescriptive direction, including expectations around target measures (e.g. time off-feed prior to slaughter, free available chlorine measures in carcase wash), corrective action procedures and overall food safety outcomes, in order to establish greater in-process control of pathogenic bacteria through the production chain. Improvements were also provided for in regards to skills and knowledge of staff engaged in the monitoring of evisceration performance, identification, removal and reworking of unacceptable carcases and process hygiene standards during production. Additionally, the Queensland poultry meat processing industry agreed upon target levels for final product carcases of <10 000 CFU/carcase of Campylobacter and <100 MPN/carcase of Salmonella to be representative of proper process control through production and that the prevalence of these bacteria associated with poultry meat is reduced through the processing chain to meet or exceed these targets.
Testing the Baseline
To examine the effectiveness of the developed baseline, a study was conducted in all large- and medium-scale poultry processing facilities in the state of Queensland, representing more than 95% of chicken meat produced in the state. Samples were collected on two occasions from four identified verification points along the processing chain, along with relative process monitoring data. These sampling points reflected the identified critical monitoring and process control measures to assess their effectiveness before and after the implementation period. These sampling points were:
a)      Caecal content sample;
b)      Whole carcase post-evisceration;
c)      Whole carcase post-washing/spin-chilling; and,
d)     Whole carcase final product.
All samples were analysed for Salmonella and Campylobacter utilising the appropriate Australian Standard methodology (AS5013.10 and AS5013.6 respectively).
 During the initial round of testing prior to implementation, Campylobacter was detected in high concentrations for 97.8% of caecal samples. Salmonella positive detections were also returned in approximately 18% of samples. In regards to process control, 7 of the 8 processing facilities demonstrated a through-chain reduction on the prevalence of Campylobacter during processing. However despite this overall reduction, 5 of the 8 processing facilities demonstrated a rebound in Campylobacter contamination from post-spin chilling to the final product. Furthermore, the average concentration of Campylobacter present on final product was 4.37 log10 CFU/carcase, whilst a number of high bacterial counts of Salmonella were also obtained on some final product samples. The results indicated a high degree of variability between and within facilities as well as inconsistencies in through-chain control during processing.
Following implementation of the baseline and PPP, SFPQ repeated the microbiological baseline study. The results demonstrated that the changes made associated with implementation eliminated the previously observed post-spin chill increase in Campylobacter whilst achieving an increase in the magnitude of reduction in the number of cells per carcase through processing. Furthermore, general improvements were seen in the overall prevalence and mean concentration of Campylobacter detected on final product carcases, with an average concentration of 4.16 log10 CFU/carcase observed, whilst improvements in the reduction of Salmonella were also noted. Overall, only two facilities were able to meet or exceed the industry target of <4 log10 CFU/carcase Campylobacter cells on final product carcases in each sampling round. This is an indicative result only, however, due to the limited sample size of this survey. Whilst the overall industry average for both periods remained greater than this target, the levels of these pathogens detected in the study compared favourably to results from the previous FSANZ industry study (FSANZ, 2010).
Public Health Outcomes
Epidemiological data gathered prior to the initiation of the baseline and associated study, as reported by the public health sector, indicated that a steadily increasing rate of campylobacteriosis was appearing in Queensland (NNDSS, 2014). Over the five years prior to 2013 (2008-2012), the overall mean annual notification rate for campylobacteriosis was 4711 cases per annum in Queensland, with a maximum of 5135 cases notified in 2011 (NNDSS, 2014). After the first sampling period was completed and the results of this testing along with the implementation of the baseline was undertaken by processors, substantial improvements in the mean reduction of Campylobacter were observed. As a result, despite the industry target for Campylobacter on final product carcases being exceeded, public health data indicated a significant reduction in the number of campylobacteriosis notifications received. Furthermore, annual notification figures indicated that there was an 18.5% reduction and a 25.4% reduction in annual counts for 2012 and 2013 respectively when compared with the number of notifications recorded in 2011 (NNDSS, 2014).
Conclusions and Future Direction
The development and implementation of the poultry meat baseline in Queensland processing facilities clearly demonstrates the importance of the operation of effective monitoring and control measures at identified points through the production and processing chain, in order to have a significant effect on the acceptability of final product. It is important to recognise that the control of pathogens, including Campylobacter and Salmonella associated with poultry meat is an area of ongoing research interest motivated by commercial drivers in addition to primary food safety, and much has been achieved by the industry in the past. As there remains significant gastrointestinal loads of pathogens associated with poultry received for processing, a heavy reliance must be placed upon critical control points through the processing chain to provide adequate microbiological control and ensure the safety of final product. Despite these measures, there remains an internationally significant issue with pathogens associated with poultry meat, especially campylobacteriosis. One contributing factor may be the inadequate monitoring and operation of these critical points, resulting in inferior reductions in microbiological loads through the processing chain and in-turn increasing pathogen concentrations on product exposed to market presenting a greater public health risk.
In Queensland facilities, it was clearly demonstrated that the effective operation and monitoring of these identified critical control points through the production and processing chain resulted in improved and sustainable reduction of microbiological pathogens. This was achieved in conjunction with the formulation of industry agreed SOPs and targets specific to controlling microbiological contamination of poultry meat entering the marketplace. It is recognised that as a result of the implementation of the new standard, substantial progress has been made to date by the industry which have manifested in a significant measurable reduction in public health notifications in recent periods, particularly with regards to campylobacteriosis.
However, the baseline study confirmed that the prevalence and concentration of Campylobacter and Salmonella on final product remains above the industry-agreed performance targets. In order to consistently and sustainably achieve the industry target for these pathogens, further work must be initiated by industry to maintain control of pathogenic bacteria through the efficient monitoring, verification and validation of critical control points during processing. In addition, further investigation needs to be conducted into the effectiveness of on-farm measures for controlling the loads of pathogenic bacteria entering the processing chain from farms.
SFPQ will continue to engage industry into the future to assist in these initiatives through the established Poultry Meat Industry Consultation Group, by conducting regular systematic assessments of processors, monitoring processing data around identified points within the industry and examining public health data on a regular basis.
References
CDC (2014). Incidence and Trends of Infection with Pathogens Transmitted Commonly Through Food — Foodborne Diseases Active Surveillance Network, 10 U.S. Sites, 1996–2012. Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report. Centre for Disease Control and Prevention, United States Government, viewed 1st April 2014, http://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/preview/mmwrhtml/mm6215a2.htm?s_cid=mm6215a2_w
EFSA (2014). The European Union Summary Report on Trends and Sources of Zoonoses, Zoonotic Agents and Food-borne Outbreaks in 2012. EFSA Journal 2014; 12(2):3547
FSANZ (2010). Baseline survey on the prevalence and concentration of Salmonella and Campylobacter in chicken meat on-farm and at primary processing. Implementation Subcommittee Coordinated Food Survey Plan. SARDI.
Pointon, A., M. Sexton, P. Dowsett, T. Saputra, A. Kiermeier, M. Lorimer, G. Holds, G. Arnold, D. Davos, B. Combs, S. Fabiansson, G. Raven, H. McKenzie, A. Chapman and J. Sumner (2008). A baseline survey of the microbiological quality of chicken portions and carcasses at retail in two Australian states (2005 to 2006). Journal of Food Protection71(6): 1123-1134.
NNDSS (2014). National Notifiable Diseases Surveillance System. Department of Health and Ageing, Australian Government, viewed 4th April 2014, http://www9.health.gov.au/cda/source/rpt_4.cfm
OzFoodNet (2010). Monitoring the incidence and causes of diseases potenitially transmitted by food in Australia: Annual report of the OzFoodNet network, 2010. Communicable Diseases Intelligence36 (3): September 2012.
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Authors:
Dr. Andrew Wilson
Safe Food Queensland
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opare justice
22 de julio de 2015
Erudite information on poultry hope to replicate it in Ghana.
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