Antimicrobial Resistance Found in Salad Vegetables in UAE: A Call for Enhanced Surveillance

A study by Dr. Habib et al. (2025) from the UAEU, published in Foods has highlighted a concerning discovery: antimicrobial-resistant Enterococcus species are widely present in salad vegetables sold in the UAE, posing potential health risks for consumers.

Unveiling Hidden Threats in Fresh Produce: The Role of Genomic Surveillance

Researchers analyzed 400 samples of common salad vegetables from various retail outlets and found that 85.5% contained Enterococcus species, primarily E. casseliflavus, E. faecium, and E. faecalis. Alarmingly, over half of these bacteria were resistant to at least one antimicrobial agent, and nearly 19% showed multidrug resistance.

Using whole-genome sequencing, the researchers identified key resistance genes, including vanC and vanXY-C2, which code resistance to vancomycin, a last resort antibiotic. Even more concerning, these genes were also present in bacteria that currently appeared susceptible to antibiotics, indicating a hidden reservoir of potential resistance.

Addressing the Challenge with Genomic Insights

Due to salad vegetables being often consumed raw, they present a direct pathway for these resistant bacteria to reach consumers. The study emphasizes the urgent need for improved microbial surveillance and stricter hygiene controls throughout the food supply chain.

Genomic surveillance plays a role in addressing these challenges by precise identification of resistance genes, understanding transmission pathways, and enabling an earlier warning possibility.

Dialling Genomic Surveillance to Today’s Needs

The Solu Platform helps identify resistance patterns and potential threats in 3 minutes, with no code or configuration for the FASTQ/FASTA files. This allows food safety authorities and companies to take informed, proactive measures, safeguarding public health.

Read the full study here.