Analysis Highlights Bacterial Contamination, Multidrug-Resistance, in Retail Meat Samples

Over one-third of US retail meat samples tested positive for at least one type of potentially harmful bacteria, and nearly 1 in 4 bacterial isolates collected were multidrug-resistant (MDR), according to an analysis of Food and Drug Administration (FDA) data.

The review by TraceOne, a company that makes regulatory compliance software for the food and beverage industry, analyzed data for 2019 through 2021 from the FDA’s National Antimicrobial Resistance Monitoring System (NARMS), which collects data on enteric bacteria found in people, retail meat samples, and animals at slaughter. NARMS focuses on bacteria that are associated with foodborne illness, such as Salmonella, Escherichia coli, and Campylobacter. It also collects data on Enterococcus, which can indicate fecal contamination.

“Meat can become contaminated with these bacteria at several points during the production process—most often during slaughter, handling, or packaging,” the report notes. “Bacteria from the animal’s intestinal tract can spread to the meat surface if sanitation procedures are not strictly followed.”