Survey of antimicrobial resistance bacteria in chicken and pork published today

The results of a survey commissioned by Food Standards Scotland and Food Standards Agency to show the amount of antimicrobial resistant (AMR) bacteria in fresh pork mince, and fresh and frozen chicken have been published today.

The findings from the survey, which looked at products on sale in the UK, will be used as a baseline for the level, types and occurrence of AMR bacteria found in these UK retail meats and will help inform future surveillance on AMR.

The risk of people developing AMR related infections from these foods is very low providing chicken and pork products have been cooked thoroughly and until the juices run clear. Thorough cooking will kill bacteria present on food including those that are resistance to antimicrobials.

The pork and poultry industry have made major strides in reducing the use of antibiotics. The poultry meat industry has seen an 82% decline in the use of antibiotics between 2012 and 2017, while there has been a 50% decline in the use of antibiotics in UK pigs between 2015 and 2017.