Probiotics for Controlling Anti-Microbial Resistance (AMR) in Dairy Foods
Debasree Saha
Department of Dairy and Poultry Science, Gazipur Agricultural University, Gazipur-1706, Bangladesh and Faculty of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Science, Gazipur Agricultural University, Gazipur-1706, Bangladesh.
Md. Al-Amin Sarker
Department of Dairy and Poultry Science, Gazipur Agricultural University, Gazipur-1706, Bangladesh and Faculty of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Science, Gazipur Agricultural University, Gazipur-1706, Bangladesh.
Fahad Ahmed
Faculty of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Science, Gazipur Agricultural University, Gazipur-1706, Bangladesh and Department of Microbiology & Public Health, Gazipur Agricultural University, Gazipur-1706, Bangladesh.
Md. Raufur Rahman Akanda
Faculty of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Science, Gazipur Agricultural University, Gazipur-1706, Bangladesh and Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, Gazipur Agricultural University, Gazipur-1706, Bangladesh.
Md. Mahmudul Islam
Faculty of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Science, Gazipur Agricultural University, Gazipur-1706, Bangladesh.
Md. Mahmudur Rahman
Faculty of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Science, Gazipur Agricultural University, Gazipur-1706, Bangladesh and Department of Animal Science and Nutrition, Gazipur Agricultural University, Gazipur-1706, Bangladesh.
Md. Rimon Bhuiyan
*
Department of Veterinary & Animal Sciences, University of Rajshahi, Rajshahi-6205, Bangladesh and Faculty of Veterinary & Animal Sciences, University of Rajshahi, Rajshahi-6205, Bangladesh.
*Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Abstract
Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is an increasingly significant global challenge that has critical impacts on food safety, public health and the sustainability of dairy production systems. The dairy foods may act as reservoirs and vectors of resistant bacteria and antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs), facilitating the AMR transmission along the farm-to-fork continuum and wider populations. This review critically examines the role of probiotics in combating AMR when it comes to dairy industry. Probiotics have emerged as an eco-friendly, effective and sustainable strategy to mitigate these risks by restoration of the microbial balance, production of antimicrobial compounds, and competitive exclusion of pathogenic bacteria. Evidence from in vitro and in vivo studies shows that specific, characterized dairy-derived probiotic strains are able to suppress resistant bacteria and some may reduce the number of antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs), but such effects are strain dependent. The potential presence of transferable ARGs in some probiotics also emphasizes the need for careful strain-level characterization, rigorous safety assessment, and proper regulation. By incorporating probiotics in dairy systems and implementing a standardized research approach, regulatory control, and One Health surveillance, the potential of probiotics to combat AMR could be fully realized. This approach offers an environmentally viable and feasible pathway to ensure the health of humanity, increase food safety, and maintain the vitality and resilience of global dairy systems. Future research should prioritize the identification of novel probiotic strains with strong antibacterial properties, particularly those capable of suppressing infections linked to increasing antimicrobial resistance (AMR) in dairy environments.
Keywords: Antibiotic resistance genes, antimicrobial resistance, dairy products, one health, probiotics