Chinese Academy of Inspection and Quarantine, Beijing 100176, China; College of Food Science and Engineering, Jilin Agricultural University, Changchun, 130118, Jilin, China.
Chinese Academy of Inspection and Quarantine, Beijing 100176, China.
Int J Food Microbiol. 2024 Jun 16;418:110740. doi: 10.1016/j.ijfoodmicro.2024.110740. Epub 2024 May 13.
Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) poses a significant challenge to global health, and the presence of antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) in food poses a potential threat to public health. Traditional Chinese fermented meat products (FMPs) are highly favored because of their unique flavors and cultural value. However, microbial safety and the potential distribution and composition of AMR in these products remain unclear. In this study, a comprehensive analysis of bacterial composition and antibiotic-resistant populations in 216 samples of traditional fermented meat products from different regions of China was conducted using a metagenomic approach. Staphylococcus was the most abundant genus in the samples, accounting for an average abundance of 29.9 %, followed by Tetragenococcus (17.1 %), and Latilactobacillus (3.6 %). A core resistome of FMP samples was constructed for the first time using co-occurrence network analysis, which revealed the distribution and interrelationships of ARGs and bio/metal-resistant genes (BMRGs). Random forest analysis identified the lincosamide nucleotidyltransferase lnuA and the multidrug and toxic compound extrusion (MATE) transporter abeM as potential indicators for assessing the overall abundance of the core resistome. Additionally, Staphylococcus, Acinetobacter, and Pseudomonas were identified as hosts constituting the core resistome. Despite their low abundance, the latter two still serve as major reservoirs of antibiotic resistance genes. Notably, Lactococcus cremoris was identified as the key host for tetracycline resistance genes in the samples, highlighting the need for enhanced resistance monitoring in lactic acid bacteria. Based on our findings, in the microbial safety assessment of fermented meat products, beyond common foodborne pathogens, attention should be focused on detecting and controlling coagulase-negative Staphylococcus, Acinetobacter, and Pseudomonas, and addressing bacterial resistance. The quantitative detection of lnuA and abeM could provide a convenient and rapid method for assessing the overall abundance of the core resistome. Our findings have important implications for the control of bacterial resistance and prevention of pathogenic bacteria in fermented meat products.
抗微生物药物耐药性（AMR）对全球健康构成重大挑战，而食物中抗生素耐药基因（ARGs）的存在对公众健康构成潜在威胁。传统的中国发酵肉产品（FMP）因其独特的风味和文化价值而备受青睐。然而，这些产品中的微生物安全和 AMR 的潜在分布和组成尚不清楚。在这项研究中，采用宏基因组学方法对来自中国不同地区的 216 个传统发酵肉产品样本中的细菌组成和抗生素耐药种群进行了全面分析。葡萄球菌是样本中最丰富的属，平均丰度为 29.9%，其次是四链球菌（17.1%）和乳杆菌（3.6%）。首次使用共现网络分析构建了 FMP 样本的核心耐药组，揭示了 ARGs 和生物/金属耐药基因（BMRGs）的分布和相互关系。随机森林分析确定了林可酰胺核苷转移酶 lnuA 和多药和毒性化合物外排（MATE）转运蛋白 abeM 作为评估核心耐药组总体丰度的潜在指标。此外，葡萄球菌、不动杆菌和假单胞菌被鉴定为构成核心耐药组的宿主。尽管它们的丰度较低，但后两者仍然是抗生素耐药基因的主要储存库。值得注意的是，乳球菌被鉴定为样品中四环素耐药基因的关键宿主，这突出表明需要加强对乳酸菌的耐药性监测。根据我们的研究结果，在发酵肉产品的微生物安全评估中，除了常见的食源性病原体外，还应重点检测和控制凝固酶阴性葡萄球菌、不动杆菌和假单胞菌，并解决细菌耐药性问题。lnuA 和 abeM 的定量检测可以为评估核心耐药组的总体丰度提供一种方便快捷的方法。我们的研究结果对抗生素耐药性的控制和发酵肉产品中致病菌的预防具有重要意义。
