SafeChicken - Increased food safety of chicken meat via methods to reduce Campylobacter in the broiler production

Campylobacter is of great importance for food safety as it is to blame for most bacterial foodborne illnesses in humans in Denmark, with a high societal cost as a result. Most Campylobacter cases are traced to infections from fresh chicken meat. Effective methods to reduce the presence of Campylobacter in broiler production are still lacking, and the challenge is greatest in the production of organic / free-range flocks.
SafeChicken is a partnership between Technical University of Denmark (DTU), Danpo and Thor Ice. The purpose is to test feed and water additives (biochar, whole wheat grains or oat husks, a probiotic-like product, and organic acids) as well as new technologies (IceGun and plasma activated water [PAW]). The methods may reduce the presence of harmful bacteria, and the project investigating the ability of the technologies in reducing Campylobacter in the production of broiler meat.
The methods found are expected to be more sustainable than the alternatives, and relatively quick to implement if found effective. The effect that can be achieved with new methods will be calculated into a relative risk reduction for consumers to become ill with campylobacteriosis. One or more effective methods may help the poultry industry with meeting growing demands for bio- and food safety, introducing more sustainable methods, increasing food safety and reducing societal costs due to fewer disease cases, reducing food waste and its climate impact.
The project is funded by Grønt Udviklings- og Demonstrationsprogram (GUDP) managed by the Ministry of Food, Agriculture and Fisheries of Denmark.

Campylobacter er den bakterie der årsag til flest fødevarebårne sygdomstilfælde i Danmark. En af de vigtigste kilder til sygdomstilfælde er fersk kyllingekød.
Projektet undersøger måder at reducere campylobacterbakterier forskellige steder i fødevareproduktionen af økologiske-/frilandsflokke ved brug af af bæredygtige metoder.