Australia’s largest survey of antimicrobial resistance (AMR) in raw retail meat has found bacteria in raw beef, pork and chicken continue to show low levels of resistance to antibiotics that are critical for treating people.
More than 4,000 meat samples were collected from retailers in every state and territory, providing a national snapshot of resistance patterns in bacteria. Around two thirds of bacterial isolates showed no resistance to any of the antibiotics tested. Multidrug resistance was uncommon and, where detected, was largely linked to antibiotics considered of low importance to human medicine. Resistance to antibiotics highly important for human health remained low overall.
Overall, the findings confirm that when Australian meat is produced, handled and cooked safely, the risk of spreading AMR is low. They also underscore the importance of coordinated, long term monitoring to protect public health and maintain confidence in Australia’s food system.
