ABSTRACT
The recognition of Campylobacter jejuni being a foodborne pathogen, coupled with statistics that Campylobacter enteritis is among the leading causes of bacterial gastroenteritis in humans, puts the food processor on the defensive and in need of information regarding the organism's association with foods. Poultry parts and carcasses have been found to be major sources of Campylobacter jejuni. Although foodborne outbreaks of Campylobacter enteritis have been associated most frequently with consumption of unpasteurized milk, relatively few studies have been done to assess the incidence of Campylobacter jejuni in raw milk. Since Campylobacter jejuni is primarily associated with raw foods of animal origin, it is useful to know how well Campylobacters can survive and compete with the indigenous flora of such foods. Four types of food that have been implicated as vehicles of outbreaks of campylobacteriosis have been studied. These include unpasteurized milk, fresh ground beef, raw chicken, and uncooked ground beef liver.
