Browsing by Subject "home hygiene"

Salmonella and Campylobacter are one the most significant enteric bacterial organisms causing foodborne infections world-wide. Domestic Finnish broiler meat is rarely contaminated with Salmonella. Campylobacter contamination rate of domestic broiler meat is 10-30 % in summer months, during the seasonal peak of human campylobacter infections. The human campylobacter infections are usually sporadic and the source of infection remains unknown. Impact of domestic broiler meat on the incidence of these infections is unclear. In several case-control studies performed all over the world, consumption of poultry products and cross-contamination are recorded as risk factors for human Campylobacter infection. If broiler meat is contaminated by Campylobacter or Salmonella, the bacteria most probably contaminate kitchen surfaces in contact with the meat. The previous studies on contamination caused by broiler meat are mainly focused on quantitative transfer rates of the bacteria. In this thesis the kitchen contamination was studied using fluorescent liquid injected in broiler meat packages to document contact of meat or meat juice with the surfaces. The used method provides information on how widely and where the bacteria might spread in the kitchen. The study compared contamination on kitchen surfaces and utensils, caused by whole frozen broilers (25 units) and marinated broiler legs (25 units). The frozen broilers were prepared in a test kitchen, cut into pieces and spiced and cooked in oven pan. Marinated legs were opened from the packages and cooked in oven. After handling of each broiler meat unit, contamination on defined areas of kitchen surface and utensils were documented using ultraviolet light marked surface areas in the kitchen. Handling of marinated broiler legs decrease steps of meat handling in the kitchen. As expected, the cutting board and the spice cupboard remained clean with every marinated broiler leg unit. Correspondingly, those surfaces contaminated in the handling of whole frozen broiler unit. In handling of frozen broilers, meat-contact surfaces (i.e. counter and knife blade) contaminated significantly more often (p<0.001) compared to broiler legs. Dishcloths, commonly indicating the cleanness levels in the kitchen were contaminated also more (p<0,001) after handling of whole broiler units. Through hand-contact of whole broilers, the left trash cupboard with the door handle and the knife handle contaminated more often (p<0,001) than in the handling of marinated broiler legs. The right side trash cupboard contaminated more often (p=0,002) in handling of broiler legs than in the handling of whole broilers. The difference of contamination was not statistically significant between the handle of right-hand side trash cupboard and the water tap (trash bin door handle p=0,347, water tap p=0,101). Our study showed, that handling of whole frozen broiler carcasses cause significantly higher risk of cross-contamination appearing in the kitchen. Marinated broiler legs cause only little contamination on kitchen surfaces and utensils. However, cross-contamination is still possible through hands after handling of these products.