On 8 April, the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) published a scientific opinion on the occurrence, spread, and resistance of carbapenemase-producing enterobacteria (CPE) in the food chain.
According to EFSA, these bacteria, which were previously mainly a hospital-related issue, are now detected in animals and food products across Europe. The scientific opinion emphasizes that, although there is no conclusive evidence of a direct transmission of these bacteria to humans through food, identical strains have been found in both animals and humans, suggesting possible transmission between the two groups.
The main conclusions of EFSA are as follows:
- Since 2011, CPE have been detected in the food chain in 14 out of 30 EU/EEA countries.
- The most frequently reported CPE are E. coli, Enterobacter, Klebsiella, and Salmonella, primarily originating from terrestrial food-producing animals (pigs, cattle, and to a lesser extent, poultry), which are regularly monitored for antimicrobial resistance in the EU.
- The number of reported CPE cases has increased, particularly among pigs, cattle, and poultry, with significant rises in 2021 and 2023 in several Member States.
- Ten EU/EEA countries have implemented emergency plans to control and study these bacteria.
To prevent and minimize the occurrence and spread of CPE, EFSA provides the following recommendations:
- Extend surveillance activities to other currently unmonitored food sources, as well as to other bacterial species (such as Klebsiella);
- Improve detection methods and conduct traceability investigations and molecular typing of bacteria to clarify transmission routes, including potential spread by workers or animal feed;
- Focus research on designing targeted studies to better understand the spread of these bacteria in the food chain.