Risk-based microbiological criteria for Campylobacter in broiler meat: A comparison of two approaches. (July 2015)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Nauta, Maarten; Andersen, Jens Kirk; Tuominen, Pirkko; Ranta, Jukka; Lindqvist, Roland
• Is Part Of: Food control. Volume 53(2015:Jul.)
• Page Start: 177
• Page End: 184
• Publication Date: 2015-07
• Subjects: Food safety standards -- Control -- Risk assessment -- Relative risk -- Uncertainty analysis; Food -- Quality -- Periodicals; Food -- Analysis -- Periodicals; Food handling -- Periodicals; Food industry and trade -- Quality control -- Periodicals; Aliments -- Industrie et commerce -- Qualité -- Contrôle -- Périodiques; Aliments -- Qualité -- Périodiques; Aliments -- Analyse -- Périodiques; Hygiène alimentaire -- Périodiques; Food -- Analysis; Food handling; Food -- Quality; Periodicals; Electronic journals; 664.07
• DOI: 10.1016/j.foodcont.2015.01.019
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0956-7135

Abstract

Abstract: Risk-based microbiological criteria can offer a tool to control Campylobacter in the broiler meat production chain. Recently two approaches have been applied to derive such criteria and to analyse their potential impact in terms of human health risk reduction: the risk-based version of the established microbiological criteria approach, that applies a microbiological limit (ML) for sample data, and the Danish "case-by- case" risk assessment approach, that applies a limit for the relative risk estimate (relative risk limit, RRL) based on sample data. In this study, data sets from Sweden and Denmark are used to compare the performance of the two approaches in terms of efficiency, i.e. the balance between the residual risk after implementation of the criterion and the percentage of non-complying batches, and the attending uncertainty. The analysis shows that the two approaches are equally efficient, and suggests that the RRL criterion is attended with less uncertainty. The two approaches are compared and their advantages and disadvantages are discussed. Given the uncertainties attending the results of the analysis, more research in terms of data collection, risk assessment and uncertainty analysis would be needed to develop these risk-based criteria further. Highlights: Two approaches for establishing risk-based microbiological criteria are compared. One criterion uses a common microbiological limit, the other a relative risk limit. The efficiency (cost benefit balance) of the two approaches is similar. The uncertainty attending the relative risk limit criterion seems smaller.