Six new factsheets were recently published to promote how the “Action to support implementation of Codex AMR (ACT)” project countries work to address foodborne antimicrobial resistance (AMR). “Managing AMR poses a significant challenge for the world. One way AMR can spread to humans is through food, known as foodborne AMR. Unfortunately, every day, unsafe food causes illnesses and deaths. We work globally and locally to address foodborne AMR through the implementation of Codex AMR texts, and these factsheets provide a snapshot [...]

World AMR Awareness Week (WAAW) 2023, 18 - 24 November, a global initiative to raise awareness and encourage action to tackle the emergence and spread of drug-resistant pathogens, is starting today.  Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) poses a threat to humans, animals, plants, and the environment, and it affects everyone. The theme for WAAW 2023, maintained from 2022 is: "Preventing antimicrobial resistance together". The theme emphasizes the need for a One Health approach involving multiple sectors to preserve the efficacy of antimicrobials. Addressing AMR requires collective efforts [...]

World Food Day 2023 is celebrated under the theme "Water is life, water is food. Leave no one behind". FAO is hosting a week-long series of events from Monday 16 to Friday 20 October welcoming world leaders, experts, changemakers, youth and indigenous activists to spark global action for water, climate action and sustainable agrifood systems. Water is essential for life and it is, indeed, food. But it is also essential in food production and processing. Ensuring that water coming into contact [...]

More than 450 participants in person and online attended the 3rd Global Conference on Foodborne Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR), hosted by the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety (MFDS) of the Republic of Korea on 12 and 13 September 2023 in Seoul. Stakeholders from the food industry, academia and research, regulatory authorities, and international organizations discussed One Health approaches to tackle foodborne AMR. “This conference is an excellent opportunity to share our knowledge and experience in tackling foodborne AMR”, said Dr Yu-Kyoung [...]

The “Action to support implementation of Codex AMR texts (ACT)” project published a brochure to help individuals and organizations committed to tackling foodborne antimicrobial resistance (AMR) play their role. The brochure is available in English and Spanish. “We believe this brochure provides valuable insights on how different stakeholders can contribute to managing foodborne AMR,” said Myoengsin Choi, FAO Food Safety Officer and ACT Project Coordinator. Considering the Codex AMR texts and the need for an “all hands on deck” approach, the publication outlines [...]

As part of the “Action to support implementation of Codex AMR texts (ACT)” project, Mongolia is actively enhancing its collaboration efforts to combat foodborne antimicrobial resistance (AMR). A delegation from the FAO visited the country on 12-14 June 2023 to gather information on how the project is advancing.   “According to some global studies, the potential economic cost of antimicrobial resistance is comparable to the global financial shocks of 2008-2009. I commend the action of the Government of Mongolia in containing foodborne [...]

Korea recently marked the successful celebration of the 22nd Korean Food Safety Day and on the occasion of this achievement, we had the opportunity to interview Yu-Kyoung Oh, the Minister of Food and Drug Safety of the Republic of Korea. We wanted to delve into the country's accomplishments in the field of food safety management. The minister shared her insights and outlined the plans to ensure that food safety remains a paramount concern in Korea.  Congratulations on the 22nd Korean Food [...]

Three webinars for Latin America and the Caribbean will be held in 2023 to strengthen the implementation of Codex standards.  The webinar on future challenges in food safety will be held in April, followed by the webinar on the application of Codex standards (regional experiences) in July, and the webinar on food safety under the One Health approach will take place in October.  “The growing population worldwide, the increase in food demand, and the consequent growth of the food industry added to [...]

Representatives from the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) and the Korean Ministry of Food and Drug Safety reviewed the progress and priorities of the project “Action to support implementation of Codex AMR Texts (ACT)” at a consultation meeting earlier this March.   Attending the session, Tom Heilandt, Codex Secretary, said: "We are happy to implement the ACT project with the support from the Government of Korea. This year Codex is turning 60. This project is one of the [...]

As part of the “Action to support implementation of Codex AMR Texts (ACT)” project, six countries have finished assessing their antimicrobial resistance (AMR) situation, in particular the status of implementation of measures to minimize and contain foodborne AMR. This was part of capacity building activities to manage the development and transmission of foodborne AMR through the adoption and implementation of relevant Codex standards. To learn more about this process and the expected impact, we talked to Jorge Pinto Ferreira, FAO [...]