EFSA examines risk of MRSA from food

A scientific panel of the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) has investigated the role of food as a source of antimicrobial-resistant bacteria and identified potential control options for reducing human exposure. While the EFSA Panel on Biological Hazards concluded it was “difficult to determine” the role of food in the transfer of antimicrobial-resistant bacteria, the scientists acknowledged that antimicrobial-resistant bacteria in food would translate to increased public health risks.

The EFSA scientific panel recently issued an opinion that identified methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) as an emerging food safety problem. The EFSA panel evaluated the significance of MRSA in animals and foods, and concluded there is “currently no evidence that eating or handling contaminated food may lead to an increased risk of humans becoming healthy carriers or infected with this bacterium.” At this time, the greatest risk of infection is associated with individuals in direct contact with live animals.

An emerging type of MRSA, known as CC398, is closely associated with food-producing animals, including pigs, veal calves, and broiler chickens. However, the EFSA panel determined the CC398 strain has not been associated with foodborne illness in humans. Since the bacterium is associated with live animals, EFSA recommended control measures for CC398 should be implemented at the farm level.

The EFSA opinion on MRSA suggested that further research is required to harmonize methods for sampling, detecting and quantifying MRSA in humans and animals. Moreover, EFSA indicated further work is needed to develop methods for the detection of MRSA in food.