Nutrition & Foodservice Edge Magazine - November/December 2022 - 18

ANTIMICROBIAL RESISTANCE: FOOD
SAFETY IMPLICATIONS AND BEYOND
Raising awareness of the issue of AMR in the food safety and
food chain context is vitally important, so that producers
and government authorities are aware of the implications
and improvements that can be made in food control systems,
animal rearing, plant production and health, to address
AMR. Good food safety management practices can minimize
the transmission of AMR in food, however many countries
lack the infrastructure, regulation and resources necessary
to implement and monitor food safety through a national
food control system, which is a necessary prerequisite to
address AMR. Management of AMR in the food chain is
complex and requires the implementation of good practices
starting at primary production and
continuing through to consumption.
Imprudent use of antimicrobials
throughout the food chain
contributes to AMR. Controlling
the transmission of AMR through
foods is similar to controlling other
hazards in food. We need to manage
AMR populations in foods and pay
attention to environmental factors
that may contribute to resistance
development.
The Codex Alimentarius has
standards aimed at preventing
the development of AMR and
minimizing its transmission
assess their national surveillance and laboratory capacities
in addition to providing governments with support and
training on how to set up and effectively operate veterinary
drug residue monitoring programs, which also can be
applied to produce.
WE NEED TO MANAGE AMR
POPULATIONS IN FOODS
and pay attention to
environmental factors that
may contribute to resistance
development.
A growing world population and the resulting increase
in demand for food is putting added pressure on our food
supply chains and systems. Food security is achieved 'when
all people, at all times, have physical and economic access
to sufficient, safe and nutritious food that meets their
dietary needs and food preferences for an active and healthy
life.' However, 700 million people live in extreme poverty,
approximately one-third of all food
produced is wasted, and 800 million
people are living in hunger, which
puts pressure on earth's resources.
To meet the growing demand for
food, farmers look for ways to
improve crop yield and one way is
through the use of antimicrobials/
antibiotics contributing to AMR
through food crops.
through the food chain, which is a great starting point for
the creation of an AMR monitoring and testing regime in
produce crops. Additionally, existing veterinary drug residue
monitoring programs already utilized in some countries can
be used as the basis for development of effective monitoring
and surveillance systems to track the use of antimicrobials
and the spread of AMR through the food chain. Also, the
Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations
(FAO) is an organization that leads international efforts to
defeat hunger and improve nutrition and food security and
has an AMR laboratory mapping tool. This helps countries
KATIE SABATINI, RD, LDN |
There is widespread and sometimes
indiscriminate misuse and overuse
of antibiotics worldwide. 'The
antibiotic paradox' describes the
premise that the misuse of antibiotics
destroys their curative power. Prudent
application of existing available antibiotics needs to be
emphasized, and antimicrobial codes of conduct should be
developed to extend the usefulness and efficacy of antibiotic
agents for future generations. E
REFERENCES
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of resources for this article.
katie.sabatini@littleleaffarms.com
Katie Sabatini is the Food Safety and Quality Assurance Manager for Little Leaf Farms LLC,
where she puts into practice her passion for food safety. Sabatini has comprehensive knowledge
of industry food safety application, implementation, and management. She received her BS in
nutrition & dietetics from the University of Delaware, and is actively completing her MS in food
safety and food law at Michigan State University.
18 NUTRITION & F OOD SER VICE EDGE | NOVEMBER-DECEMBER 2022

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Nutrition & Foodservice Edge Magazine - November/December 2022

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