Food Loss and Waste: A Hidden Driver of Antimicrobial Resistance, Warns UN
Rome – Experts at the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) state that food loss and waste (FLW) can act as a reservoir and accelerator for anti-microbial resistance (AMR).
They emphasize the urgent need to integrate FLW management into AMR surveillance and strategies.
New Review Details the Threat
This critical conclusion is detailed in a new scientific review paper, "Risk of antimicrobial resistance spreading via food loss and waste," published in the journal Infectious Diseases of Poverty.
The review, led by four FAO experts including Junxia Song, Chief of the One Health and Disease Control Branch, highlights a significant concern: discarding FLW into landfills or open dumps intensifies AMR risks. Conversely, some food waste processes, such as properly managed composting, may offer a beneficial outcome by reducing antimicrobial resistance genes.
Agriculture's Contribution to a Global Crisis
The agricultural sector is widely recognized as a major contributor to AMR. Animal production alone accounts for nearly three-quarters of global antibiotic sales.
Alarmingly, drug residues and resistance genes have been detected in food products at retail and consumption stages. This includes not only meat but also plant-based foods like carrots and lettuce.
AMR diminishes the effectiveness of existing medicines and is linked to millions of human deaths annually.
Food Waste: A Breeding Ground for Resistance
The review emphasizes that food waste creates a highly favorable environment for bacterial growth. This environment actively promotes the survival of microbes and genes resistant to antimicrobials.
Studies on various waste streams—including kitchen waste, as well as school and hospital food waste—consistently indicate high levels of genes resistant to a wide range of antibiotics.
Remarkably, some research has even shown a greater abundance of resistant genes in food waste compared to sewage sludge or swine manure. Animal-derived food waste, particularly fish waste, presented a more significant problem, demonstrating higher magnitude and diversity of resistant genes.
Management Methods: A Spectrum of Risk
Different FLW management methods carry varying levels of AMR risk.
While composting is often seen as environmentally beneficial, the review notes that it may, in some instances, inadvertently increase the prevalence of resistance genes. This suggests a critical need for optimized strategies, such as high-temperature treatments, to mitigate this risk.
Anaerobic digestion, a process used for biogas production, shows promising potential for AMR removal, particularly with specific techniques that warrant further research.
Landfills, where a large portion of food waste ultimately ends up, pose additional and significant risks. This is due to the mixture of biological and chemical wastes, coupled with the potential for widespread dissemination of resistant microbes by animals or through contaminated water sources.
A Call for Global Action and Data
The report concludes with an urgent call for more comprehensive data, particularly from low and middle-income countries where antimicrobial use often faces less regulation. It also recommends further studies specifically on antifungal resistance.
FAO initiatives, such as the InFARM System and RENOFARM, are highlighted as crucial platforms. These programs aim to globally collect vital data and support countries in their efforts to reduce antimicrobial dependence, ultimately strengthening the fight against AMR.