Microbial Food Safety and Antimicrobial Resistance in Foods: A Dual Threat to Public Health

Abstract

The intersection of microbial food safety and antimicrobial resistance (AMR) represents a mounting global threat with profound implications for public health, food safety, and sustainable development. This review explores the complex pathways through which foodborne pathogens-such as Salmonella spp., Escherichia coli (E. coli), Listeria monocytogenes (L. monocytogenes), and Campylobacter spp.-acquire and disseminate resistance within human, animal, and environmental ecosystems. Emphasizing a One Health framework, we examine the drivers of AMR across sectors, including the misuse of antibiotics in agriculture, aquaculture, and clinical settings, and assess the role of environmental reservoirs in sustaining and amplifying resistance genes. We further discuss the evolution of surveillance systems, regulatory policies, and antimicrobial stewardship programs (ASPs) designed to mitigate resistance across the food chain. Innovations in next-generation sequencing, metagenomics, and targeted therapeutics such as bacteriophage therapy, antimicrobial peptides (AMPs), and CRISPR-based interventions offer promising alternatives to conventional antibiotics. However, the translation of these advances into practice remains uneven, particularly in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) facing significant barriers to diagnostic access, laboratory capacity, and equitable treatment availability. Our analysis underscores the urgent need for integrated, cross-sectoral action-anchored in science, policy, and education-to curb the global spread of AMR. Strengthening surveillance, investing in research, promoting responsible antimicrobial use, and fostering global collaboration are essential to preserving the efficacy of existing treatments and ensuring the microbiological safety of food systems worldwide.

Keywords: One Health; Public Health; antimicrobial resistance (AMR); foodborne pathogens; microbial food safety; surveillance systems.

Figure 1

Conceptual diagram illustrating the progression from drivers of AMR in food systems—including antibiotic misuse and environmental contamination—to the emergence of AMR in foodborne pathogens, associated global public health concerns, and key mitigation strategies within a One Health framework.

Figure 2

One Health schematic illustrating the pathways of AMR transmission between animals, food, environment, and humans. Key resistance mechanisms, such as plasmid-mediated transfer and environmental reservoirs, are adapted from Hendriksen et al. [32] and Van Boeckel et al. [30]. The figure highlights the interconnectedness of foodborne AMR across sectors.

Figure 3

One Health approach to mitigating AMR. The diagram illustrates the integration of surveillance, education, stewardship, and regulatory policies required to control AMR across human, animal, and environmental sectors.