What is the Burden of Antimicrobial Resistance Genes in Selected Ready-to-Eat Foods?

This study was designed to get a broad estimate of the presence and the types of antimicrobial resistance genes across 52 simple ready-to-eat foods. It was also carried out to understand the benefits and drawbacks of using metagenomic sequencing, a fairly new technology, to study AMR genes. An antimicrobial is any substance that kills or inhibits the growth of microorganisms. It includes antibiotics which are used to treat bacterial infections in both humans and animals. Given the relevant selective pressures, the bacteria itself can change and find ways to survive the effects of an antimicrobials. This results in the bacteria becoming resistant to the ‘killing’ effects of antimicrobials and is known as ‘antimicrobial resistance’. The more we use antimicrobials and antibiotics and the way that we use them can increase the chance that bacteria will become resistant to antimicrobials. This is important as it can lead to infections that become more difficult to treat with drugs and poses a risk to the public health. T Addressing AMR is a national strategic priority for the UK Government which has led to the development of a new 20-year Vision for AMR and the 5-year National Action Plan (NAP), which runs until 2024. The NAP lays out how the UK will address the AMR challenge and takes a ‘One-Health’ approach which spans people, animals, agriculture, food and the environment. The NAP includes a specific section on the importance of better food safety to limit the contamination of foods and spread of AMR. This section emphasises the need to strengthen the evidence base for AMR and food safety through research, surveillance and promoting good practice across the food chain. The FSA is playing its part by continuing to fill evidence gaps on the role that food plays in AMR through the commissioning of research and surveillance. We are also promoting and improving UK food hygiene (‘4Cs’ messages) across the food chain that will help reduce exposure to AMR bacteria.