Campylobacter cultivation and detection methods to recover injured or stressed cells need to be greatly improved to allow for the development and implementation of more effective intervention strategies. Poultry scientists should question laboratory results and adopt new methods in order to obtain a better understanding of this elusive organism.

Can an importing country justify on purely scientific grounds a zero-tolerance policy for Salmonella on raw poultry? The term “zero tolerance” for specific pathogens such as Salmonella in raw food products is interpreted differently in different countries and therefore has been confusing, misleading and misapplied. Using terms such as “zero tolerance” or “absence of a bacterium” in relation to raw poultry should be avoided unless these terms are specifically defined and explained by international agreement.