Campylobacter testing

Detecting Campylobacter is a key expertise within the Eurofins Food & Feed Testing laboratory network. This pathogen, responsible for numerous foodborne illnesses, requires reliable analytical methods to guarantee product safety. We offer a wide range of solutions, from trace detection to quantification, to ensure regulatory compliance and protect consumer health.

Key services

  • Detection of Campylobacter spp. using ISO 10272-1
  • Enumeration using ISO 10272-2
  • Alternative methods validated under ISO 16140-2, providing faster turnaround and cost-effective screening

Health risk of Campylobacter

Campylobacter can cause campylobacteriosis, the most frequently reported foodborne illness in the EU, with over 220,000 confirmed cases in 2019. However, the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) estimates that the actual number of annual cases could exceed 9 million. About 30% of cases require hospitalisation, and severe or even fatal outcomes are possible.

Main source of contamination

Raw poultry meat is the most contaminated by Campylobacter because the bacteria can live in the intestines of healthy birds. European data show that:

  • 34.6% of chicken carcasses tested positive, with 18.4% exceeding 1,000 CFU/g
  • The bacteria are also found in pigs (5.8%), cattle (0.5%), and raw milk (0.6%)

The main Campylobacter species involved in confirmed foodborne outbreaks are:

  • Campylobacter jejuni (83.9%)
  • C. coli (10.3%)
  • C. lari (0.1%)
  • C. fetus (0.1%)
  • C. upsaliensis

Legal bases and guidelines

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