Prevalence of ESBL-Producing <i>Escherichia coli</i> on Neck Skin in Slaughtered Broilers Raised on Conventional, Antibiotic-Free, and Organic Farms.

ABSTRACT: Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) among commensal Escherichia coli from poultry is a growing concern for food safety and public health. This study investigated AMR patterns in E. coli isolated from broiler neck skin at slaughter, comparing organic, antibiotic-free (ATB-free), and conventional production systems. A total of 375 samples were collected from two Italian slaughterhouses and tested by broth microdilution following EU protocols. E. coli was recovered from 358 samples, and 37.9% were presumptively positive for ESBL/AmpC-producing strains. Conventional broilers showed the highest resistance to ampicillin (73.8%), sulfonamides (72.5%), and fluoroquinolones (nalidixic acid, 62.5%; ciprofloxacin, 67.5%), while organic and ATB-free systems showed significantly lower l

SUBMITTER: Dilio G 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12736069 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Dec

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature