Surveillance of Campylobacter spp. in Montenegrin Poultry Slaughterhouses in the Period from 2019 to 2024

Campylobacter is one of the most common pathogens in food and is a constant concern in ensuring food safety. Poultry meat is recognized as the main source of Campylobacter species in food, and the primary production of this meat is a critical point where measures need to be taken to reduce its presence in the food chain. Therefore, poultry slaughterhouses are places where it is necessary to implement measures to control and reduce the number of Campylobacter spp. For the purpose of monitoring the presence and abundance of Campylobacter spp. in poultry slaughterhouses, in the period from 2019 to 2024, a total of 585 skin neck samples from five poultry slaughterhouses were tested. All collected samples were analyzed using a standardized microbiological method (ISO 10272-2:2018). The results showed that in Montenegrin poultry slaughterhouses, the prevalence of Campylobacter species in the observed five-year period was 42%. For a total of 339 samples, test results for the number of Campylobacter spp. in the sample were <100 cfu/g (58%). In 53 samples of chicken neck skin, the number of Campylobacter spp. was from 100 to 1000 (9%), while 193 samples contained more than 1000 cfu/g Campylobacter spp. (33%). This study suggests that slaughterhouses need to ensure greater hygiene on the slaughter line, through equipment inspection for each slaughter step and the implementation of regular cleaning protocols. These are minimal and basic interventions that are key to reducing the risk of contamination, improving microbiological safety in poultry processing, and aligning with efforts to improve the food safety system in Montenegro.

Cite this article as: Zuber Bogdanović, I., & Vučinić, S. (2026). Surveillance of campylobacter spp. in Montenegrin poultry slaughterhouses in the period from 2019 to 2024. Acta Veterinaria Eurasia, 52, 0163, doi:10.5152/actavet.2026.25163.