On February 13, 2026, the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) warned that food loss and waste (FLW) could act as a reservoir and accelerator of antimicrobial resistance (AMR), following the publication of a new scientific review in Infectious Diseases of Poverty. The findings matter because AMR is already responsible for millions of deaths globally and threatens the effectiveness of life-saving medicines, with the agri-food system playing a central role.

The report, led by FAO experts including Junxia Song, now Chief of the One Health and Disease Control Branch, highlights that discarded food - especially when sent to landfills or open dumps - can intensify the spread of resistant bacteria and antimicrobial resistance genes. In contrast, certain waste treatment methods such as properly managed composting or anaerobic digestion may help reduce those risks if optimized correctly.

"Linking food loss and waste to AMR is both timely and strategic," Song emphasized, underscoring the need for coordinated action that simultaneously reduces waste and strengthens global containment strategies.

The agricultural sector remains a major contributor to AMR. Animal production alone accounts for nearly three-fourths of global antibiotic sales, and drug residues and resistance genes have been detected not only in meat but also in vegetables such as lettuce, carrots and tomatoes. As resistant microbes diminish the effectiveness of medicines, the economic and public health consequences grow - particularly in low- and middle-income countries where antimicrobial regulation remains uneven.

The review notes that food waste is a fertile substrate for bacterial growth, enabling resistant microbes and genes to persist and multiply. Studies of kitchen waste, school cafeterias and hospital food systems have shown elevated levels of resistance genes - in some cases even higher than those found in sewage sludge or swine manure, historically considered key vectors of environmental dissemination.

This finding is especially relevant as many countries pursue ambitious programs to convert food waste into biogas, energy recovery or animal feed inputs. While such circular economy initiatives offer climate and sustainability benefits, the FAO warns that AMR risks must be fully integrated into waste management frameworks.

Animal-derived waste - particularly fish waste - appears to carry a higher magnitude and diversity of resistant genes, reinforcing the importance of rapid collection and strict control measures. Composting, widely promoted as an environmentally friendly solution for organic fertilizer production, may sometimes increase resistance gene prevalence if not managed under optimized, high-temperature conditions. Meanwhile, certain forms of anaerobic digestion show promise for reducing AMR loads, though further research is required.

Landfills remain a critical concern. In many countries, a substantial share of food waste ends up in mixed disposal sites, where biological materials combine with chemical residues from industrial, agricultural and medical sources. Open landfills accessible to scavenging animals or migratory birds, or those leaching into groundwater, pose additional environmental transmission risks.

FAO officials stress that the One Health approach - integrating human, animal and environmental health - is central to addressing the challenge. FAO Assistant Director-General and Chief Veterinarian Thanawat Tiensin emphasized that safeguarding food safety is a shared global responsibility requiring coordinated cross-sector action.

The review also identifies major data gaps, particularly in developing economies where antimicrobial use is projected to increase. Expanded surveillance and research on antifungal resistance are urgently needed. FAO's InFARM System is positioned as a key platform to collect and synthesize country-level data, while its RENOFARM initiative supports efforts to reduce antimicrobial reliance across food systems.

The broader message is clear: tackling antimicrobial resistance is not only about reducing antibiotic misuse in hospitals or livestock production. It also requires confronting overlooked pathways such as food loss and waste, integrating environmental management into global health strategies.

As countries intensify efforts to cut food waste for climate and sustainability reasons, FAO's warning adds a new dimension: the battle against AMR will be won not only in laboratories and farms, but also in landfills, compost facilities and circular economy systems.