Routine Antibiotic Use In Food Production: Challenges and Solutions

30 August 2019. By FACTS in FACTS News, Food Safety

The World Health Organisation has stated that antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is currently one of the biggest threats to global health, food security and development. Although AMR can arise as a result of many factors, a joint EU agency report has linked AMR with the use of antibiotics as growth promoters (AGPs) in food production. AGPs are applied with the intention of improving growth yields, typically through improvements in the feed conversion ratio (FCR), but also through a reduction in mortality.

Several countries have implemented restrictions and limitations on the routine use of AGPs. However, South Africa has not yet implemented restrictions. Economic risks and incentives for some sectors of the food industry in South Africa mean that the pace of adaptation to reduce the subclinical application of antibiotics is limited.

Many alternatives to AGPs have become available in recent years. These include the use of exogenous enzymes, organic acids, probiotics and prebiotics. Nevertheless, these alternatives are not yet cost-effective, suggesting the need for more focused interventions.

Targeted manipulation of biochemical systems can yield encouraging results. Research conducted in South Africa has resulted in phytochemical formulations with effects which are distinct from AGPs, but which can recapitulate the productivity gains lost with the removal of antibiotics.

These developments and the associated methodologies suggest an increasing role for the application of next-generation technologies in the optimisation of food production systems and food safety.

Dr Dhanani’s poster will be on display at this year’s SAAFoST Congress 2019. For more information on Antibiotic resistance please email Dr Karim Dhanani at [email protected].