Summary of Study Finds Superbugs Lurking in 40% of Supermarket Meat:
A Spanish study has revealed that 40% of supermarket meat samples contain multidrug-resistant E. coli strains. The use of antibiotics in agriculture and animal husbandry is creating a threat to the effectiveness of antibiotics used to treat humans, as the bugs spread to people through food throughout the food chain. Multidrug-resistant bacteria can spread from animals to humans through the food chain meaning proper food handling practices and farm-to-fork interventions are vital in reducing risks. The study highlights the need to assess antibiotic-resistant bacteria in meat products regularly.
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Supermarkets Containing Antibiotic-Resistant Bacteria in Meat Products
A recent study in Spain found that 40% of meat products tested in supermarkets contained multidrug-resistant E. coli strains. This study emphasizes the need to assess antibiotic-resistant bacteria in meat products regularly. Farm-to-fork over-food handling practices are essential to reduce significant risks.
The Dangerous Levels of Antibiotic Resistance
Antibiotic resistance is reaching dangerously high levels around the world. Every year, drug-resistant infections kill an estimated 700,000 people globally. With that number projected to rise to 10 million by 2050 if no action is taken, the World Health Organization (WHO) class antibiotic resistance as one of humanity’s most significant public health threats.
The Spread of Multidrug-resistant Bacteria from Animals to Humans through The Food Chain
Multidrug-resistant bacteria can spread from animals to humans through the food chain. Still, data on levels of antibiotic-resistant bugs in food is not made widely available due to commercial sensitivities. Dr. Azucena Mora Gutiérrez and Dr. Vanesa García Menéndez, of the University of Santiago de Compostela-Lugo, Lugo, Spain, together with colleagues from other research centers, designed a series of experiments to assess the levels of multidrug-resistant and extraintestinal pathogenic Enterobacteriaceae (Klebsiella pneumonia, E. coli, and other bacteria that can cause multidrug-resistant infections such as sepsis or urinary tract infections) in meat on sale in Spanish supermarkets.
Results of the Spanish Study
The team analyzed 100 meat products (25 each of chicken, turkey, beef, and pork) randomly selected from Oviedo supermarkets in 2020. Despite the majority (73%) of the meat products containing levels of E. coli within food safety limits, almost half (49%) had multidrug-resistant and potentially pathogenic E. coli.
The researchers characterized 82 E. coli isolates and recovered 12 K. pneumonia separates from 10 meat products (7 chicken, 2 turkeys, and 1 pork). 40 of the 100 meat products contained multidrug-resistant E.coli strains, with 56 of the 82 songs carrying these antibiotic-resistant qualities. These include E. coli, which produced extended-spectrum beta-lactamases (ESBLs). Enzymes confer resistance to most beta-lactam antibiotics, including penicillins, cephalosporins, and monobactam aztreonam.
Consequently, 68% of turkey, 56% of chicken, 16% of beef, and 12% of pork were positive samples for the carriage of ESBL-producing E. coli. This higher presence of ESBL-producing E. coli strains in poultry compared to other types of meat is likely due to differences in production and slaughter.
Significant Differences Regarding Multidrug Resistance and Pathogens
Additionally, 27% of the meat products contained potentially pathogenic extraintestinal E. coli (ExPEC). ExPEC possesses genes that allow them to cause disease outside the gastrointestinal tract. ExPEC causes the vast majority of urinary tract infections (UTIs), is a leading cause of adult bacteremia (sepsis), and is the second most common cause of neonatal meningitis. Six percent of the meat products contained uropathogenic (UPEC) E. coli, part of the ExPEC group. Lastly, one percent of the meat products had E. coli harboring the MCR-1 gene. This gene confers resistance to colistin, an antibiotic of last resort used to treat infections caused by bacteria resistant to all other antibiotics.
Protecting Consumers through Farm-to-Fork Interventions
The study’s authors report high levels of bacteria capable of causing severe human infections and multidrug resistance in chicken and turkey. Their latest research shows that beef and pork may expose consumers to these bacteria. They, therefore, call for regular assessment of levels of antibiotic-resistant bacteria, including ExPEC E. coli, in meat products.
Dr. Mora adds: “Farm-to-fork interventions must be a priority to protect the consumer. For example, the implementation of surveillance lab methods to allow further study of high-risk bacteria (in farm animals and meat) and their evolution due to the latest EU restriction programs on antibiotic use in veterinary medicine.
Conclusion
Consumers play a crucial role in food safety through proper food handling. Advice to consumers includes not breaking the cold chain from the supermarket to home, cooking meat thoroughly, storing it properly in the refrigerator, and disinfecting knives, chopping boards, and other cooking utensils used to prepare raw meat adequately to avoid cross-contamination. With these measures, eating meat becomes a pleasure with zero risks.
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