AMR claims need scientific reassessment

2026-02-22 - 00:23

Dr Faiza Abdur Rab WITH reference to the report titled Raw milk, chicken raise public health red flags that appeared on Friday, 20th February 2026 in the section of Reporter’s Diary in the daily newspaper Pakistan Observer, I would request that independent, internationally recognized peer review of the scientific material presented, displayed and discussed at the two-day conference organized by the Food and Agriculture Organization Pakistan in collaboration with South Korea’s Ministry of Food and Health Safety and national partner institutes, discussing the growing threat of Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR), be kindly invited. This project needs to be reassessed by independent, internationally-recognized scientists having sound understanding of food microbiology. In nature, the number of microorganisms present in food increases as food quality deteriorates, which is demonstrated by organoleptic changes, making consumers cautious and, as an outcome, they refuse to eat the food. Good-quality raw material, hygienic processing and appropriate storage slow down the food deterioration process, making it acceptable and safe for consumers for a longer duration. In many countries, including Pakistan, where hygienic conditions are compromised in the food sector, this results in the promotion of antibiotics and preservatives in food to control microbial growth, apparently delaying the appearance of organoleptic changes and making food acceptable for consumers to eat for prolonged durations. As an outcome of overexposure to antibiotics, food microorganisms have acquired antimicrobial resistance, making food undergo organoleptic changes in response to uncontrolled growth of microorganisms due to poor hygienic conditions, low-quality raw material and inappropriate packaging and storage conditions. This has put a burden on food industries that are not in compliance with international standards of food quality and safety and mainly rely on the use of preservatives and antibiotics in food to ensure its quality and safety. It is important to mention that food flora rarely becomes a part of human body flora and human pathogens rarely last for long in the food chain. E. coli is normal flora of the human intestine. The presence of E. coli in food demonstrates sewage contamination due to poor hygiene and an unsanitized food environment and indicates a high probability of the presence of pathogens in food. Other than a few strains, E. coli is non-pathogenic for human beings. Mapping AMR traits in food microorganisms and linking them with the risk of enhancing microbial resistance in human pathogens and human normal flora is a scientifically flawed project that needs to be independently peer reviewed by independent, internationally recognized food scientists having sound understanding of food microbiology. Any attempt to develop software or Artificial Intelligence tools based on flawed scientific findings would be an absolute waste of time, effort and resources. Science in this area of knowledge had moved on over two decades ago. The One Health approach has become obsolete since 2007. —The writer is Assistant Professor, Department of Food Science and Technology, University of Karachi, Pakistan. (faizaabdurrub@hotmail.com)