A study by the University of Santiago de Compostela has revealed that 40% of chicken, turkey, beef, and pork meat samples analyzed in Spanish supermarkets contain strains of multidrug-resistant bacteria, including Escherichia coli (E. coli) and Klebsiella pneumoniae, which can cause serious infections in humans and have become resistant to most antibiotics, including drugs of last resort.
The study, presented at the European Congress of Clinical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases, evaluated the presence and drug resistance of these bacteria in 100 randomly selected meat products from supermarket chains throughout Spain. Most of the products had levels of E. coli within safe limits, but there is concern about the existence of these superbugs, which can cause sepsis or urinary tract infections.
Turkey and chicken products were found to be the most contaminated, and the bacteria appeared to a lesser extent in beef and pork samples. The study authors stressed the need to educate consumers about the importance of controlling multidrug-resistant bacteria in food, as they could kill an estimated 10 million people by 2050 if no action is taken. These measures include cooking meat well, not breaking the cold chain, and storing food correctly.
Despite the presence of these superbugs, the researchers assured that the microbiological quality of the samples was very good and that the problem is antibiotic resistance, not the meat itself. Overall, the study underscores the need to monitor multidrug-resistant bacteria present in food as potential pathogens and to take measures to prevent their spread and the associated risks to public health.