Resistome analysis of bacterial communities in food products

Abstract

The spread of antimicrobial resistance (AMR) through the food chain has become a global health concern, one that poses a direct threat to human well-being and is interconnected across all ecosystems. The indiscriminate use of antimicrobials in food-producing animals, crop improvement, the release of agricultural waste into sewage systems, and the use of animal manure on crops are all factors that contribute to the selection and transmission of AMR along the food chain. The advent of next-generation sequencing technologies has revolutionized our ability to study the food microbiome, allowing us to gain deeper insight into the diversity of antimicrobial resistance genes present in food and its associated environments, more specifically the study of the resistome. This review aims to provide a current overview of antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) found in the most commonly consumed foods worldwide, framed within a One Health perspective that recognizes the interconnection between human, animal and environmental health.