Project reports

Campylobacteriosis is the most frequently notified enteric disease in New Zealand, and New Zealand has one of the highest rates of campylobacteriosis among industrialized countries. Reducing Campylobacter colonization of poultry at the farm level would reduce reliance on processing interventions for reducing Campylobacter contamination of broiler meat. This study aimed to identify on-farm sources of Campylobacter contamination in New Zealand broiler chicken flocks. No evidence was found that wildlife, chicken feed, drinking water, or parent breeder flocks were contaminating sources. Instead, carryover of Campylobacter from the previous flock or other farm flocks, and/or contamination from chicken catching crews and their equipment, may have contributed Campylobacter strains that colonized the study flock. These are key areas where the poultry industry might focus on-farm risk management practices to reduce colonization of broiler flocks by Campylobacter.”

The purpose of a Risk Profile is to provide information relevant to a food/hazard combination so that risk managers can make decisions and, if necessary, take further action. Risk Profiles include elements of a qualitative risk assessment, as well as providing information relevant to risk management. This Risk Profile concerns non-typhoidal Salmonella in animal feed and feed components, with a focus on feeds that are not pasture or fodder-based; the majority of data identified relates to compound feed and materials. Feeds intended for livestock and poultry that are farmed commercially in New Zealand are considered due to the potential for Salmonella to be transmitted to humans via the consumption of contaminated animal products. This is an update of a Risk Profile published in 2011 (Cressey et al. 2011).

The purpose of this discussion document is to collate and review information from New Zealand and overseas regarding microbial pathogens in commercially available raw meat petfood.  

The discussion document addresses microbial hazards, with a particular focus on the following pathogens: 

• Salmonella enterica (non-typhoidal) 

• Campylobacter spp. 

• Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli (STEC) 

• Listeria monocytogenes 

• Yersinia enterocolitica  

• Toxoplasma gondii  

New Zealand Food Safety (NZFS) requires information on the effectiveness of different methods (thermal and non-thermal) to inactivate hepatitis A virus (HAV) in raw berries and berry products. NZFS will use this information to support the implementation of new import controls for ready-to-eat frozen berries (MPI, 2024) and other risk management activities, such as assessments of treatment methods applied by manufacturers and development of guidance for domestic manufacturers, food service providers or consumers. 

This report summarises available data to meet this need. Data were compiled from studies of HAV, norovirus or virus surrogate inactivation in berries and berry products. These data have been compiled from the peer-reviewed scientific literature.  

This review includes information on the methodology for conducting experiments on the behaviour of viruses which are important to understand the results and limitations.  

The production of this guide represents three years of intensive and incredibly detailed work, involving key dairy industry players and regulators, motivated and led by Distinguished Professor Phil Bremer (the Centre’s Chief Scientist) and Associate Professor Simon Swift (member of the Centre’s Science Leadership Team).  Cronobacter is of increasing concern to the infant formula industry after two newborns died from drinking contaminated formula, produced in the US (2022).  The consequences were enormous, including a critical national shortage of formula.

Cyclone Gabrielle (13-14 February 2023) caused extensive damage to the east coast of New Zealand’s North Island, including key horticultural production areas in Hawkes Bay, Gisborne/Tairāwhiti and Northland. This incident highlighted the limited information available to growers to assist their decision-making as to when flood-affected soils could be replanted with food crops without compromising food safety. The horticulture industry has an immediate need for guidance, to ensure both food security and safety.

The purpose of a Risk Profile is to provide information relevant to a food/hazard combination so that risk managers can make decisions and, if necessary, take further action. Risk Profiles include elements of a qualitative risk assessment, as well as providing information relevant to risk management. This Risk Profile concerns non-typhoidal Salmonella enterica subspecies enterica (hereafter referred to as Salmonella) in and on chicken eggs. This is an update of a Risk Profile published in 2016 (Rivas et al. 2016). The key finding from that report was that based on the available data, the public health risk from Salmonella in or on eggs consumed in New Zealand had not changed since an earlier 2011 Risk Profile. Whole, fresh eggs sold in New Zealand could be contaminated with Salmonella, but this was contributing to only a minor (but undefined) proportion of human illness. 

The maintenance of safe food supply is important. Food contamination can result in negative impacts on human and animal health, including mortality, illness, disability, and decreased quality of life. It can also lead to significant societal and economic losses related to production and trade in the case of food recalls. Systems for the detection of pathogens, harmful chemicals, and physical contamination in relation to food products are an important tool for maintaining a safe food supply and preventing foodborne illness outbreaks. Science for food safety therefore plays a critical role in protecting the general public and economy from damages related to unsafe food.

The purpose of a Risk Profile is to provide information relevant to a food/hazard combination so that risk managers can make decisions and, if necessary, take further action. Risk Profiles include elements of a qualitative risk assessment, as well as providing information relevant to risk management. This Risk Profile concerns non-typhoidal Salmonella in broiler (meat) chickens and poultry (chicken, turkey and duck) products. This is an update of a Risk Profile published in 2011 (King et al. 2011b). The key finding from that report was that transmission via poultry was a minor component of the epidemiology of salmonellosis in New Zealand. 

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