Antimicrobial Resistance (Set 4 in English): Understanding AMR

Role of Antibiotics in Food and Its Effect on Us

Welcome back to the Sangyan Podcast! In today’s episode, I’ll be discussing an important issue—the role of antibiotics in food production and how it affects our health.

First off, let’s talk about why antibiotics are used in food production. Antibiotics are often used in agriculture to promote growth and prevent diseases in animals, even when the animals are not sick. This is especially common in industrial farming, where large numbers of animals are raised in close quarters. The idea is to ensure healthy animals and maximize production, but this practice leads to an overuse of antibiotics, which significantly contributes to the rise of antimicrobial resistance (AMR).

But how does this affect us? Well, when animals are treated with antibiotics, bacteria in their bodies can become resistant to these drugs. These resistant bacteria can spread to humans through the consumption of contaminated meat, dairy, or even by direct contact with animals or their environment. Once these resistant bacteria enter the human body, they can cause infections that are much harder to treat because the usual antibiotics might no longer work. This transfer of resistant bacteria through the food chain is a major concern raised by health bodies, including the World Health Organization (WHO).

So, what can we, as consumers, do to protect ourselves? One key piece of advice is to choose meat and other animal products that are labeled "antibiotic-free". You can also look for products from producers who use responsible antibiotic practices. Buying from well-regulated, clean sources helps reduce your exposure to resistant bacteria and contributes to better public health outcomes.

That’s it for today’s discussion on the role of antibiotics in food production. Stay tuned for more episodes where we explore how AMR impacts different aspects of our health!