o:8640 Occurrence and species-level identification of thermophilic Campylobacter in retail poultry meat in Serbia en Species within the Campylobacter genus, notably Campylobacter jejuni and Campylobacter coli, are among the primary bacterial agents responsible for foodborne illnesses worldwide. Poultry meat frequently serves as a key vector of transmission, owing to the high prevalence of these bacteria in the gastrointestinal tracts of birds. The purpose of this study was to as- sess both the occurrence and levels of C. jejuni and C. coli in raw chicken meat available in Serbian retail markets. In 2023, a total of 118 fresh poultry samples were obtained from various retail outlets and analyzed in accordance with ISO standards for qualitative and quantitative microbiological evaluation. Results indicated a notably high contamination rate, with Campylobacter detected in 75% of the samples. Among these, 63 samples exhibited quantifiable bacterial loads ranging from 20 to 7,600 CFU/g. Molecular testing further con- firmed the presence of thermotolerant Campylobacter species in 98% of the positive sam- ples. Specifically, C. jejuni was detected in 75%, and C. coli in 85% of cases, with over half of the positive samples containing both species. The highest bacterial concentrations were found in drumstick and thigh meat cuts. These results emphasize the considerable public health concern associated with Campylobacter contamination in poultry meat sold in Serbia, and they reinforce the necessity of stricter hygiene practices and comprehensive monitoring across the poultry production and distribution chain. Campylobacter spp. Campylobacter jejuni Campylobacter coli Poultry meat Retail contamination 1552099 10.18485/meattech.2025.66.3.69 2025-12-08T12:42:23.681Z 44 yes 46 Lazar Milojević Institute of Meat Hygiene and Technology, Kaćanskog 13, 11000 Belgrade, Serbia Occurrence and species-level identification of thermophilic Campylobacter in retail poultry meat in Serbia https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6901-6033 Branko Velebit Institute of Meat Hygiene and Technology, Kaćanskog 13, 11000 Belgrade, Serbia Occurrence and species-level identification of thermophilic Campylobacter in retail poultry meat in Serbia person https://orcid.org/0000-0002-7577-8074 Vesna V. Janković Institute of Meat Hygiene and Technology, Kaćanskog 13, 11000 Belgrade, Serbia Occurrence and species-level identification of thermophilic Campylobacter in retail poultry meat in Serbia person https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5388-9593 Radmila Mitrović Institute of Meat Hygiene and Technology, Kaćanskog 13, 11000 Belgrade, Serbia Occurrence and species-level identification of thermophilic Campylobacter in retail poultry meat in Serbia person https://orcid.org/0000-0003-2912-2784 Brankica Lakićević Institute of Meat Hygiene and Technology, Kaćanskog 13, 11000 Belgrade, Serbia Occurrence and species-level identification of thermophilic Campylobacter in retail poultry meat in Serbia person https://orcid.org/0000-0002-0175-5830 Dunja Mišić Institute of Meat Hygiene and Technology, Kaćanskog 13, 11000 Belgrade, Serbia Occurrence and species-level identification of thermophilic Campylobacter in retail poultry meat in Serbia person https://orcid.org/0009-0006-2213-2612 Nikola Betić Institute of Meat Hygiene and Technology, Kaćanskog 13, 11000 Belgrade, Serbia Occurrence and species-level identification of thermophilic Campylobacter in retail poultry meat in Serbia person https://orcid.org/0000-0002-7375-6752 application/pdf 460647 https://unilib.phaidrabg.rs/o:8640 no yes 16 70 92000001 71A01 Meat technology - Special Issue 66/3 2025 1-576 66 3 402 407 Kaćanskog 13, 11 000 Belgrade Institute of Meat Hygiene and Technology 2025-12-01 www.journalmeattechnology.com