Summary
This EFSA Panel opinion synthesises evidence on how antimicrobial resistance emerges and propagates through environmental pathways linked to food production and the wider food chain. The assessment identifies soil, water, and manure as key environmental reservoirs and vectors, evaluating the relative risks posed by different agricultural systems and input practices. The work provides a comprehensive evidence base to inform policy on AMR mitigation across farming systems, food processing, and environmental management.
Regional applicability
The findings are directly applicable to UK agricultural policy, food safety regulation, and environmental protection frameworks, particularly given the UK's reliance on imported foodstuffs and the role of domestic intensive livestock farming. The evidence supports the UK's AMR strategy and the need for integrated surveillance and control measures across farm, food chain, and environmental compartments.
Key measures
Presence and prevalence of AMR bacteria and resistance genes in environmental matrices (soil, water, manure), food products, and livestock; pathways of transmission from agricultural use to human exposure
Outcomes reported
The study examined environmental routes through which antimicrobial resistance (AMR) emerges, persists, and spreads to human populations via the food chain, including soil, water, and agricultural inputs. It assessed the relative contribution of different food-producing sectors and environmental compartments to AMR transmission.
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