Enteric pathogen contamination Salmonella

More recently, a range of other quality and safety issues have been recognised by consumers and now influence poultry meat and egg buying patterns and behaviour. Most importantly this includes (i) the routine use of antibiotics as growth promoters and curative medicines and the potential for development of transferable antibiotic resistance, (ii) risk associated with enteric pathogen (e.g. Salmonella and Campylobacter) and toxin (e.g. dioxin) contaminants of poultry products, (iii) the environmental impact of poultry production and (iv) the sensory and nutritional quality of eggs and poultry meat (Menzi et al., 1997 Hamm et al., 2002 Rodenburg et al., 2004 Horsted et al., 2005). 

The most well-known and frequently diagnosed foodborne pathogen in the United States is Salmonella. Some reports indicate that 25-64% of broiler chickens in the United States are contaminated with this organism [67]. Typically responsible for a short-lived gastroenteritis, which may be life-threatening in high-risk populations (elderly, children, immunosuppressed individuals), the infection may turn deadly if it enters the blood stream [62,68]. 

---