23 May 2026
According to a comprehensive national surveillance report on antimicrobial resistance (AMR) in raw retail meat (2022–2023), published by Food Standards Australia New Zealand (FSANZ), the public health risk associated with AMR bacteria transmitted via fresh chicken meat remains very low, provided proper food safety and hygiene practices are followed. The study was based on an extensive sampling of 2,005 chicken meat samples collected over a 40-week period across all Australian state.
The findings demonstrate exceptionally high levels of microbiological complete susceptibility to all tested antimicrobical classes among most bacteria isolated from chicken meat. For instance, Salmonella isolates, found at an overall prevalence of 8.7%, exhibited complete susceptibility in 92% of cases, with zero instances of multidrug resistance detected. Furthermore, among commensal indicator bacteria used to monitor resistance trends, 65.6% of Escherichia coli and 47.1% of Enterococcus faecalis isolates were fully susceptible to all tested agents, while overall multidrug resistance rates remained low at 7.4% and 1.1%, respectively.
The surveillance revealed highly encouraging data regarding critically important antimicrobials for human medicine, where resistance ranged from completely absent to exceptionally low. No resistance to vital last-line treatments, such as meropenem, colistin, and amikacin, was found in E. coli or Salmonella, and resistance to third-generation cephalosporins was negligible. Similarly, Enterococcus isolates (E. faecalis and E. faecium) demonstrated 0% resistance to critical agents like vancomycin and teicoplanin. These findings reflect the strict regulatory frameworks and successful antimicrobial stewardship practices maintained within the Australian poultry industry.
The single notable exception identified in the report relates to Campylobacter jejuni (isolated from 35.3% of poultry samples), which showed a moderate resistance rate of 16% to ciprofloxacin (a fluoroquinolone). Scientists note this aligns with broader international trends and presents a unique epidemiological case: fluoroquinolones have never been approved for use in food-producing animals in Australia, suggesting these resistance patterns persist through unique survival mechanisms independent of local selection pressure.
In conclusion, the report emphasizes that the vast majority of bacteria present on retail poultry are highly susceptible to antibiotics and pose no significant public health risk.
Food Standards Australia New Zealand. (2026). National surveillance of antibiotic resistant bacteria in raw retail beef, chicken and pork meat Australia 2022-2023. Canberra.
