Food Science of Animal Resources (Food Sci. Anim. Resour.) is an international, peer-reviewed bimonthly journal publishing original research and reviews on basic and applied aspects of the use of animal resources including the meat, egg, dairy, and edible insect/worm products. Food Sci. Anim. Resour. is published and distributed by the Korean Society for Food Science of Animal Resources.

The emergence and dissemination of tigecyline resistant Enterobacterales (TRE) in animals is a critical issue. This study aimed to investigate the presence of TRE in the gut of healthy avians as well as meat samples. A total of 940 ceacal samples from 94 commercial poultry flocks were collected at slaughter and a total of 335 meat samples [(chicken (n = 159), turkey (n = 4) and beef/lamb (n = 172)] were collected from supermarkets and butcher shops. Out of 960 samples, 146 (19.21 %) samples from chicken farms and 24 (13.3 %) from turkey farms were positive for TRE. Forty-nine Escherichia coli isolates were determined to carry the tet(X4) gene by PCR and exhibited multi-drug resistance. Whole-genome short-read sequencing (WGS) on all tet(X4) positive E. coli isolates and long-read sequencing on a selection of five isolates were carried out. WGS identified four ST types (ST206 being the most dominant, ST609, ST744 and ST189), indicating significant homogeneity among tigecyline resistant E. coli strains. In 47 isolates, the tet(X4) gene was transferrable to E. coli EC600 and it was found to be located on the IncX1 plasmid. Additionally, all tet(X4)-positive E. coli isolates also harbored other resistance genes, including floR, aadA2 and tet(A). In this study, the identification of tet(X4) carrying E. coli in healthy chicken and meats suggests the likely source of food-producing animals for humans. Therefore, active surveillance of critical priority lineages of TRE should focus on to contain the potential public health risk.

The aim of this study was to investigate preservation of the microbiological, chemical and sensory quality of chicken meatballs during storage time by using rosemary essential oil (REO) coated vacuum packaging materials at +4°C. The treatments of chicken meatballs examined in the present study were done by vacuum packaging and packaging materials were prepared by using REO coating 0.3% for group A, 0.5% group B and control group without any additive. The chicken meatballs were analyzed for microbiological (Psychrophilic total viable counts, Enterobacteriaceae, Lactic acid bacteria and Yeast/Mold), chemical (pH and thiobarbituric acid values) and sensory (appearance, taste and general acceptability) parameters. In the study, the microbiological quality of chicken meatballs in samples coated with vacuum packaging with REO had better shelf life compared to control group. The REO 0.3% treatment group samples resulted in a shelf life extension for 9 days compared to the control group samples with a shelf life of 5 days. Thiobarbituric acid values were found to be lower in REO coated groups compared to control. This study was shown that, vacuum packaging materials coated with REO are effective against microbial growth and lipid oxidation and improves sensory qualities of chicken meatballs.

The interrelationship between human, animal and environmental sectors leads to the spread of antibiotic resistance due to selective pressures, evolutionary traits and genomic evolution. In particular, the frequent use of antibiotics in livestock inevitably influences the emergence of specific resistance determinants in human strains, associated with reduced treatment options in clinical therapy. In this study, ESBL-producing Klebsiella pneumoniae strains isolated from chicken meat samples were evaluated for public health implications in Türkiye. Whole-genome sequencing was used for genetic dissection and phylogenetic comparison of their genomes. The isolates were assigned to four MLST types (ST147, ST37, ST2747 and ST219); two of them were found to represent the ST147 clone associated with severe human infections worldwide. In addition to cephalosporins, high resistance levels to quinolones/fluoroquinolones were identified phenotypically, caused by acquired resistance genes and chromosomal point variations. One isolate was also found to carry the qacE∆1 efflux transporter gene, which confers tolerance to quaternary ammonium compounds. The detection of virulence genes (i.e., that coding for enterobactin) associated with the pathogenicity of K. pneumoniae suggests a public health impact. Thus, comprehensive information on the occurrence and impact of K. pneumoniae from livestock is needed to derive appropriate management strategies for consumer protection. In this study, it was shown that poultry meat serves as a reservoir of clinically emerging multidrug-resistant high-risk clones.

Antimicrobial‐resistant (AMR) Klebsiella spp., the common agents of nosocomial infections, are on the rise and becoming increasingly dangerous, with tigecycline‐resistant strains posing a serious clinical threat. This study aimed to characterize isolated tigecycline‐resistant strains from Türkiye by using whole‐genome sequencing (WGS). The genomes of 40 strains, recovered from turkey caecum samples ( n = 23, K. pneumoniae ), chicken caecum samples ( n = 8, K. pneumoniae ; n = 2, K. oxytoca ), and chicken meat samples ( n = 7, K. pneumoniae ), were determined. Additionally, Oxford Nanopore Sequencing was conducted on subsets ( mcr ‐8‐positive, n = 9) to characterize the plasmids responsible for colistin resistance spread. Sequence analysis revealed that all K. pneumoniae harbored the tet (A) gene without detectable mutations, whereas several alterations were detected in the ramR gene. Additionally, other tetracycline‐encoding genes were also detected in few isolates, including tet (B), tet (D), tet (J), and tet (M). Genomic analysis revealed various AMR genes, including the plasmid‐mediated colistin resistance gene mcr ‐8, for which hybrid assemblies confirmed the localization on IncF group plasmids associated with IS 903B . Conjugation assay showed the transferability of mcr ‐8 in isolates (8/9) to Escherichia coli recipient strains. WGS analysis also revealed 11 different sequence types (STs), with ST37 appearing as the predominant lineage among both tigecycline‐ and colistin‐resistant isolates. Phylogenetic comparison with previously sequenced isolates showed close genetic relatedness between certain isolates and international clones. To our knowledge, this is the first report of mcr ‐8 in Klebsiella strains from food animals in Türkiye, highlighting a potential risk for transmission of last‐resort antimicrobial resistance genes to humans. Hence, continuous genomic surveillance is urgently needed to monitor the spread of these resistance determinants within the One Health perspective.