INTRODUCTION 🧬
Microbial food safety and antimicrobial resistance (AMR) are increasingly intertwined challenges threatening global public health, food systems, and sustainable development. The proliferation of resistant foodborne pathogens—such as Salmonella spp., Escherichia coli, Listeria monocytogenes, and Campylobacter spp.—reflects a crisis driven by interconnected human, animal, and environmental interactions. This convergence demands a unified One Health approach to research and response. The review highlights critical dimensions of AMR's development and transmission, emphasizing the impact of antibiotic misuse in agriculture, aquaculture, and healthcare. While scientific advancements like metagenomics and CRISPR-based interventions provide new tools, their global implementation remains uneven. Especially in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs), structural and economic barriers hinder widespread surveillance and treatment. Addressing this requires robust, science-informed policies, international cooperation, and inclusive education strategies to safeguard food safety and human health.
PATHOGENIC DYNAMICS IN THE FOOD CHAIN 🦠
The food chain serves as a major conduit for antimicrobial-resistant pathogens, enabling resistance genes to spread from farms to forks. Bacteria such as E. coli and Salmonella spp. can acquire resistance through horizontal gene transfer and selective pressure induced by antibiotic overuse in animal husbandry. These pathogens persist through various stages of food production, including slaughter, processing, distribution, and consumption. Raw or undercooked food, poor sanitation, and improper handling exacerbate this risk. This section explores the molecular mechanisms of resistance development within foodborne microbes and their implications for public health. Studies focusing on the genetic mobility of resistance determinants via plasmids, integrons, and transposons are essential to understanding how AMR evolves in the food system. Integrated genomic research can illuminate potential intervention points to disrupt these transmission pathways and restore microbiological safety.
ONE HEALTH INTEGRATION FOR AMR MITIGATION 🌍
The One Health approach bridges the interconnected health of humans, animals, and the environment, offering a holistic lens through which AMR in food safety can be addressed. Antibiotics used in veterinary medicine and animal agriculture can contribute to environmental contamination, creating resistance reservoirs in soil, water, and wastewater. Resistant bacteria or genes originating in livestock can migrate to human populations through direct contact, contaminated food, or environmental exposure. This section emphasizes the importance of intersectoral collaboration among microbiologists, veterinarians, ecologists, and policymakers. Research must continue to map the AMR ecosystem across sectors, facilitating surveillance and response at the interfaces where resistance emerges and circulates. One Health surveillance programs offer powerful insights, but their success hinges on policy coherence, data sharing, and cross-border scientific alliances.
ADVANCEMENTS IN DIAGNOSTICS AND GENOMIC TOOLS 🔬
Modern research tools have revolutionized AMR detection and pathogen characterization in foodborne settings. Next-generation sequencing (NGS), metagenomic profiling, and CRISPR-based diagnostics provide unprecedented resolution in identifying resistance genes, virulence factors, and microbial signatures. These methods enable real-time monitoring of microbial populations and facilitate early outbreak detection, even before clinical manifestations occur. Moreover, they support the development of personalized food safety strategies and predictive AMR models. Despite these advances, implementation remains patchy—particularly in resource-limited settings—due to technical complexity, high costs, and lack of skilled personnel. Addressing these barriers through targeted capacity building and international funding is vital. Ongoing research should prioritize scalable, rapid, and cost-effective diagnostic platforms tailored for use in both high-income countries and LMICs.
ALTERNATIVES TO CONVENTIONAL ANTIBIOTICS 💊
With rising AMR, conventional antibiotics are losing efficacy, creating a pressing need for novel antimicrobial strategies in food systems. Promising alternatives include bacteriophage therapy, antimicrobial peptides (AMPs), plant-based antimicrobials, and CRISPR-Cas9 tools engineered to target resistance genes. These solutions, often highly specific and environmentally friendly, can reduce reliance on broad-spectrum antibiotics in agriculture and food preservation. This section discusses the current state of research into these alternatives, examining their effectiveness, regulatory hurdles, and scalability. While some therapies are in advanced clinical trials or experimental deployment, others face scientific and logistical constraints. Collaborative research must aim to optimize delivery systems, ensure safety, and streamline regulatory approval to enable wide-scale adoption of these promising tools in combating foodborne AMR.
POLICY, SURVEILLANCE, AND STEWARDSHIP FRAMEWORKS 📊
Global efforts to curb AMR in food safety depend heavily on the effectiveness of policy frameworks, surveillance systems, and antimicrobial stewardship programs (ASPs). Regulatory measures limiting antibiotic use in livestock, aquaculture, and food processing have shown success in reducing resistance rates in certain regions. However, gaps persist, especially in LMICs where regulations are poorly enforced and access to diagnostics remains limited. This section explores the evolution of international policies, such as the WHO Global Action Plan on AMR and Codex Alimentarius guidelines, and evaluates national-level implementation. Surveillance data must be harmonized and shared across borders to enable timely interventions. ASPs must also be tailored to regional needs, involving stakeholders from farming to retail. Continued research is needed to assess the effectiveness of these interventions and propose adaptive, equity-driven strategies that promote sustainable food safety practices worldwide.
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Hastags
#AMR #FoodSafety #OneHealth #AntimicrobialResistance #PathogenControl #MicrobialHazards #ResistantBacteria #GlobalHealthThreat #Salmonella #Ecoli #Listeria #Campylobacter #Metagenomics #CRISPR #NextGenTherapeutics #BacteriophageTherapy #SurveillanceSystems #StewardshipPrograms #PublicHealthPolicy #FoodborneDiseases
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