Author(s): Abdul Latif Penddah, Mary Tomi Olorunkosebi, Moshood Kolapo Ayinde and Godfred Kofi Mensah

Abstract: The main goals of antimicrobial control techniques in food processing, which include physical heat treatments, chemical sanitisers, and innovative biological methods, are to improve food safety and lower pathogen burden. Ironically, however, these same approaches can produce selection pressures that aid in the development and dissemination of antimicrobial resistance (AMR) in foodborne pathogens. This study examines how various antimicrobial barriers used in food processing interact with bacterial survival strategies, possibly promoting resistant phenotypes and making it easier for resistant organisms and resistance genes to spread to humans through the food chain. Studies show that antimicrobial resistance genes may endure under specific circumstances, raising concerns about genetic transmission to new germs, even while physical therapies like heat effectively inactivate many bacteria. The intricacy of resistance dynamics is further highlighted by the fact that sublethal pressures from sanitisers, preservatives, and other obstacles can trigger adaptive responses in bacteria, such as efflux pump activation and stress-induced mutation. This paper identifies important gaps in our knowledge of how processing affects AMR evolution and transmission channels using a mixed method synthesis of previous studies, regulatory frameworks, and mechanistic insights. The laboratory results are connected with real-world consequences for industrial operations, public health, and food safety regulation using a One Health lens. A thorough analysis of these factors highlights the need for more sophisticated antimicrobial stewardship and integrative risk assessments that take resistance emergence and food safety into account simultaneously. The paper ultimately argues for targeted interventions that mitigate resistance selection without compromising the efficacy of food processing controls.

DOI: 10.22271/27893065.2023.v3.i2b.165

Pages: 127-133 | Views: 106 | Downloads: 43

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