Incidence of thermotolerant Campylobacter in foods assessed by NF ISO 10272 standard: results of a two-year study

Fifteen hundred food samples were analysed for thermotolerant Campylobacter according to the NF ISO 10272 standard during a two-year investigation per iod using Preston and Park & Sanders methods and three isolation media (Kar mali, Butzler and Skirrow agar). The samples, consisting of 660 oysters (Cr assostrea gigas), 400 ready-to-eat vegetables, 300 poultry products and 140 raw milk cheeses, were positive 5 2, 12 and 0 times respectively. Ali isol ates were identified as Campylobacter jejuni subsp. jejuni except one C. co li. Biotype and serotype determination revealed a large diversity among the strains, although biotypes I (59%) and II (18%) were predominant. Serotypi ng (Lior scheme) showed that 85% of the strains were among the 10 most comm on Campylobacter serogroups isolated in human campylobacteriosis, Park & Sa nders enrichment and isolation on Karmali agar appeared to be the most effi cient combination for detecting thermotolerant Campylobacter in the food sa mples tested. (C) 1999 Academic Press.