In an effort to address the “silent pandemic” of antimicrobial resistance (AMR), a recently concluded UK Animal and Plant Health Agency (APHA)–FAO project has helped partners across Africa and Asia to improve their AMR detection, analysis, and mitigation capabilities.
Controlling foodborne antimicrobial resistance requires a One Health approach centered on food hygiene. Although antimicrobial stewardship can slow the emergence and enrichment of resistant bacteria, existing environmental reservoirs mean that resistant bacteria can contaminate food regardless of antimicrobial use.
Potential uses include pathogen and chemical hazard detection, food fraud identification, outbreak surveillance, risk forecasting, and regulatory decision-making. Barriers to wider adoption remain, such as data quantity, quality, and accessibility; confidentiality; and transparency.
The report examines spore-forming, botulinum toxin-producing clostridia that pose persistent challenges for food production, including C. botulinum, C. perfringens, and C. difficile. It reviews disease burden, outbreak risks, prevention strategies, detection methods, and significant epidemiological data gaps.
Ten Latin American countries are developing national initiatives to strengthen food safety systems by integrating risk analysis into public policy and regulatory decision-making, through a regional project led by UN organizations and assisted by the University of Minnesota.
JEMRA convened in June to review the latest scientific evidence on microbiological hazards that have recently been associated with public health events due to the contamination of powdered infant formula or its ingredients.
The 102nd meeting of the Joint FAO/WHO Expert Committee on Food Additives (JECFA) took place in June 2026 in Nanjing, China. Key outcomes included the establishment of new, temporary acceptable daily intakes (ADIs) for two substances.
The plan establishes the Codex Alimentarius Commission’s priorities for the next six years to strengthen the development of international food safety and quality standards while considering evolving and emerging global challenges.
Overuse or misuse of antimicrobials and improper disposal of antimicrobials in the agri-food system may result in food and environmental contamination and contribute to the global rise of AMR.
Following the release of WHO’s new foodborne disease burden estimates and relating to the 2026 World Food Safety Day theme, “From Burden to Solutions—Safe Food Everywhere,” FAO and WHO are highlighting how Codex Alimentarius standards and related work help prevent foodborne disease.
