Campylobacter is not your typical poultry pathogen. In this episode of Unplucked, host Andy Vance talks with Dr. Issmat Kassem of the University of Georgia Center for Food Safety about why this bug survives where others do not, and what that means for food safety from farm to processing plant. Dr. Kassem explains how Campylobacter thrives in the chicken gut, why its biology and genetics break some of the rules we apply to Salmonella and E. coli, and how the diversity of strains on farm narrows to a persistent few that make it through processing. The conversation traces how those processing tolerant strains complicate detection and control, and why a single intervention is rarely enough.
Listeners get a clear view of where the science is headed. Dr. Kassem outlines work to speed up detection and quantification, including modified media and approaches that target the microbe’s unique metabolism. He shares experimental results on antimicrobial light and new phytochemicals that can be layered with established interventions to improve reductions without sacrificing product quality. The discussion also zooms out to a practical message for the entire chain. Keep improving the system that already works, add smart hurdles where they fit, and invest in consumer education so safe handling keeps pace with scientific progress. Above all, remember that pathogens evolve, so our playbook must evolve too.
