EFSA Warns Antimicrobial Resistance in Foodborne Bacteria Remains a European Concern

Antimicrobial resistance in foodborne bacteria remains a public-health concern across Europe, according to a joint EFSA and ECDC report published on 18 February 2026. The update covers bacteria found in people, food-producing animals and meat, and shows that resistance to several commonly used antimicrobials remains widespread.

For home cooks, this is not a product recall and it does not mean that a particular food on sale has suddenly become unsafe. The practical message is more familiar: preventing contamination, handling raw ingredients carefully and cooking food thoroughly remain important parts of food safety. Antimicrobial resistance mainly affects how infections are treated if illness occurs; it does not replace the basic need to keep harmful bacteria out of the kitchen and away from ready-to-eat food.

What the European update found

The surveillance data came from 27 EU Member States, Northern Ireland and five other non-EU countries, covering 2023 and 2024. EFSA reports that a high proportion of Salmonella and Campylobacter from humans and food-producing animals remained resistant to ciprofloxacin, an antimicrobial used to treat serious infections. In Campylobacter, resistance is now so widespread in Europe that ciprofloxacin is no longer recommended for treating human infections.

Resistance was also frequently reported for ampicillin, tetracyclines and sulfonamides. The report separately highlights detections of carbapenemase-producing E. coli in food-producing animals and meat in several countries. Carbapenems are important last-resort antimicrobials in human medicine and are not authorised for use in food-producing animals, so EFSA and ECDC say the sources of these detections need close attention.

The picture is not uniformly negative. Several countries reported declining resistance to specific antimicrobials. In human Salmonella infections, resistance to ampicillin fell significantly in 19 countries and resistance to tetracyclines fell in 14 over the past decade. The report also found positive trends for some food-producing animals and a decline in erythromycin resistance in Campylobacter in several countries. Combined resistance to critically important antimicrobials remained generally low in Salmonella, Campylobacter and E. coli.

What it means in a home kitchen

The report’s findings are about bacteria and treatment options across the food chain, not about a special cooking technique. Still, the update is a useful reminder that ordinary kitchen discipline matters. EFSA’s antimicrobial-resistance overview describes food safety as part of a wider One Health response involving people, animals, farming and the environment.

Keep raw meat, poultry and their juices away from salads, cooked food and other ready-to-eat ingredients.
Wash hands, knives, boards and work surfaces after handling raw animal products, especially before preparing food that will not be cooked.
Cook meat and poultry thoroughly, checking the thickest part when a thermometer is available rather than relying only on colour.
Refrigerate leftovers promptly in shallow containers and reheat them until piping hot before serving.

These steps do not “solve” antimicrobial resistance, but they reduce the chance that foodborne bacteria will be transferred or swallowed in the first place. They are particularly important when cooking for young children, older adults, pregnant people or anyone with a weakened immune system, because foodborne infections can be more serious for people in higher-risk groups.

It is also important not to overread the announcement. Resistance in a bacterial sample does not mean every portion of meat or every meal contains resistant bacteria. The report is a surveillance assessment across countries and parts of the food chain; it is not evidence that consumers should avoid all poultry, meat or other animal products. Safe sourcing, refrigeration, separation and thorough cooking remain the appropriate response.

Why the report matters beyond the stove

Antimicrobial resistance develops and spreads through connected systems. The report therefore calls for responsible antimicrobial use across human and veterinary medicine, effective infection prevention, better animal health and continued food-safety controls. The full scientific report provides the detailed country and organism data behind the announcement.

For consumers, the clearest takeaway is reassuringly practical: there is no new household panic instruction, but there is a strong reason to keep the basics consistent. Separate raw and ready-to-eat foods, wash hands and equipment, cook carefully and store leftovers promptly. Those habits help limit foodborne infections today while the wider food system works on the longer-term challenge of keeping effective antimicrobial treatments available.