The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recently named Campylobacter as the most common bacterial contaminant in the United States. At the same time, customs holds in European Union countries frequently cite Campylobacter in poultry as a persistent problem, and outbreaks, such as a recent event in Sweden, are too frequent.

Campylobacter can get into your food supply when animal feces come in contact with meat products or processing surfaces. Heat can destroy the bacteria, so it’s important to make sure that raw food is kept away from sources of infection.

There are many disinfection techniques and products that work well, but you will need to verify that your cleaning efforts are working and determine the presence of Campylobacter. The BAX® System Q7 uses real-time PCR to detect Campylobacter coli, jejuni and lari in a variety of matrices and on a range of surfaces. You can get accurate, quantitative results in less than a day.

The BAX® System Q7 provides fast time to result, flexibility and throughput in pathogen detection. BAX system assays are validated in a variety of food processing environments and detect Campylobacter and other pathogens. Find out more at www.hygiena.com