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Joint FAO/WHO Expert Meeting in collaboration with OIE on Foodborne Antimicrobial Resistance: Role of the Environment, Crops and Biocides

Meeting report

Year of publication 2019

Place of publication Rome, Italy ;

Pages 62

Author FAO/WHO

Publisher FAO and WHO ;

Product type Book (series)

ISBN 978-92-5-131890-4

Series title Microbiological Risk Assessment Series

Series number 34

Edition 1

Synopsis (short abstract) Responding to the request from the 39th Session Codex Alimentarius Commission (CAC) and the ad hoc Codex Intergovernmental Task Force on Antimicrobial Resistance (TFAMR) for information about antimimcrobial resistance, this report provides scientific advice on the subject derived from a joint “FAO/WHO expert meeting on foodborne antimicrobial resistance: role of environment, crops and biocides” on 11-15 June 2018 in Rome, Italy. There is clear scientific evidence that foods of plant origin may serve as a vehicle of foodborne exposure to antimicrobial-resistant bacteria. Aquaculture products can also carry bacteria that are resistant to medically important antimicrobials. As such, concerted efforts should be made to mitigate their contamination at all stages of the food chain, from production to consumption. Notably, antimicrobials should only be used in crop production according to label guidelines in the context of integrated pest management strategies. To improve food safety, best management practices should be adhered to with respect to the use of human and animal wastes for soil amendment purposes and for the prevention of environmental contamination where aquatic animals are raised for food. Foods of plant and aquatic animal origin food incorporated in to integrated surveillance plans for antimicrobial resistance (AMR) monitoring. Because of the theoretical potential for disinfecting chemical to co-select for AMR, biocides should be used according to manufacturers’ recommendations.

Cite this content as:

FAO and WHO. 2019. Joint FAO/WHO Expert Meeting in collaboration with OIE on Foodborne Antimicrobial Resistance: Role of the Environment, Crops and Biocides – Meeting report. Microbiological Risk Assessment Series no. 34. Rome.


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    Antimicrobial agents are essential drugs for human and animal health and welfare. Antimicrobial resistance is a global public health concern that is impacted by both human and non-human antimicrobial usage. Antimicrobial agents are used in food animals, including from aquaculture, companion animals and horticulture to treat or prevent disease. Antimicrobial agents are sometimes used in food animals to promote growth. The types of antimicrobials used are frequently the same as, or closely rela ted to, antimicrobials used in humans.

    The expert workshop concluded that there is clear evidence of adverse human health consequences due to resistant organisms resulting from non-human usage of antimicrobials. These consequences include infections that would not have otherwise occurred, increased frequency of treatment failures (in some cases death) and increased severity of infections, as documented for instance by fluoroquinolone resistant human Salmonella infections. Evidence shows th at the amount and pattern of non-human usage of antimicrobials impact on the occurrence of resistant bacteria in animals and on food commodities and thereby human exposure to these resistant bacteria. The foodborne route is the major transmission pathway for resistant bacteria and resistance genes from food animals to humans, but other routes of transmission exist. There is much less data available on the public health impact of antimicrobial usage in aquaculture, horticulture and companion an imals.
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