The Problem of Antimicrobial Resistance in the Food Chain

• Project start date: 10 July 2010
• Project status: Completed
• Project type: Food safety
• Discipline: Microbiology and food hygiene
• Author/s: Professor Seamus Fanning
• Collaborator/s: Professor David McDowell, Dr Ina Kelly, Dr Ciara Walsh, Dr Jean Kennedy

Research objective

The primary objective of this project was to update knowledge and raise awareness regarding antimicrobial resistance (AMR) associated with the food chain. The focus was on understanding how AMR impacts consumer health through the food chain and to inform future actions by Safefood. This involved reviewing scientific data on zoonotic bacteria like Salmonella spp., verocytotoxigenic Escherichia coli (VTEC), and Campylobacter spp., which are transmitted from animals to humans via food. Additionally, the report considered other AMR bacteria such as methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) and Clostridium difficile, and the role of commensal bacteria, probiotic bacteria, and genetically modified organisms (GMOs) in AMR. The project aimed to provide a comprehensive understanding of AMR in the food chain to support effective surveillance and intervention strategies.

Outputs

Research report

• Title: The Problem of Antimicrobial Resistance in the Food Chain
• Publication date: 6 April 2010
• Summary: Antibiotics, crucial for treating bacterial infections in humans and animals, are becoming less effective as bacteria develop resistance. This resistance can be inherent or acquired through prolonged antibiotic use, leading to reservoirs of resistant bacteria in the gastrointestinal tracts of food-producing animals. These bacteria can then be transmitted to humans via the food chain, particularly from cattle, pigs, poultry, and through environmental contamination.
• Findings:
  • AMR emerges through complex events involving humans, animals, and the environment. The food chain provides a route for human infection.
  • Misuse of antibiotics in food-producing animals can lead to the development of AMR bacteria, which can enter the food chain through contaminated water, crops, and food processing.
  • While food processing technologies aim to reduce bacterial hazards, stress from antibiotic selection can cause bacteria to evolve, making them harder to eliminate.
  • The use of sanitisers and biocides in food production may contribute to AMR development and dissemination.
  • AMR poses serious human health consequences, including prolonged illness and death, particularly among vulnerable individuals with impaired immunity.
• Recommendations:
  1. Intensify surveillance across the animal population, the food chain, and human populations.
  2. Promote an integrated all-island AMR monitoring programme, including prescribing, dispensing, and consumption patterns.
  3. Encourage the prudent use of antimicrobial agents in both animal and human medicine.
  4. Establish a forum on AMR and food safety, involving all stakeholders, to ensure the delivery of the surveillance strategy.
  5. Conduct research to improve understanding of the impacts of AMR on food processing technologies and carry out food attribution studies to determine the extent of food animal-associated AMR infections on the island of Ireland.
  6. Implement educational programmes for medical professionals, veterinary practitioners, and the general public about AMR and its consequences.

  You can download the report and a summary below.

Similar research

• Use of antimicrobials in animal health on the island of Ireland: knowledge, attitudes and behaviour (2019)
• Assessment of antibiotic resistant Escherichia coli in meat production systems on the island of Ireland (2013)