Project number: 22.09.18.07.03
Potential Transmission of Antimicrobial Resistance in the Food Chain
Half of all consumed fruit and vegetables in Switzerland are imported mainly from the Mediterranean region and, more and more, from other continents due to the higher demand of exotic fruits and to an increasing trend towards international gastronomy. Although it is well known that food may act as vehicle of dissemination of antimicrobial resistance, there is still lack of information about how the international trade of fresh produce contributes to this spreading. Moreover, there is a gap of knowledge about how the antibiotic-resistant bacteria present in food behave in the gastrointestinal tract once ingested by humans, and therefore, whether there is a risk of AMR transfer to the human microbiota. This project will help us to find answers to this important public health issue.