BANGKOK: Overuse and misuse of antibiotics in food is rife in Southeast Asia, a Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) official said on Wednesday, warning of serious risks for people and animals as bacterial infections become more resistant to treatment.
The official from the United Nations’ food agency issued the warning on the sidelines of an international meeting in Bangkok focused on antimicrobial resistance (AMR).
FAO’s Chief Veterinary Officer Juan Lubroth said in Bangkok that threat of antimicrobial resistance (AMR) was magnified in places, like Asia’s megacities, where there was high population growth and intense food and agriculture production.
“Here in Southeast Asia … we would consider it a hotspot because of the population growth, urbanization dynamics, the production of food,” Lubroth said.
A report published on Monday by the World Health Organization said that a new global surveillance system had found widespread occurrence of antibiotic resistance among 500,000 people with suspected bacterial infections across 22 countries.
“Some of the world’s most common – and potentially most dangerous – infections are proving drug-resistant,” Marc Sprenger, director of WHO’s Antimicrobial Resistance Secretariat, said in a statement.
A 2016 report by economist Jim O’Neill, commissioned by the British government, projects $100 trillion in losses by 2050 if nothing is done to reverse the trend, and estimated that the annual toll resulting from AMR will climb to 10 million deaths in the next 35 years.
“Ninety percent of those deaths would be in the developing world, and that is scary,” Lubroth said.
He said the FAO advocates educating farmers about the dangers of using antibiotics to promote growth in animals, and stronger enforcement of rules governing food production.
“It’s not only about having the rules in black and white, they need to be applied.”
Southeast Asia a ‘hotspot’ for antibiotic abuse, FAO official says
Southeast Asia a ‘hotspot’ for antibiotic abuse, FAO official says
Where We Are Going Today: Under 500
- Both their soups, the lentil and the roasted tomato, are wonderful; I’ve been enjoying pairing either one with a main (a combo special Under 500 offers)
A place for all the gym rats and diet fiends, Under 500 offers fairly tasty meals complete with nutritious goodies, all of which are, well, under 500 calories.
I’ve quickly grown fond of this cloud kitchen — I won’t tell you it is the most delicious food you’ll ever have, but would absolutely recommend it if you want good meals that will leave you feeling energized and satisfied.
They have a wide selection of options; pasta, sandwiches, salads, bowls, rice meals, soups and some breakfast options.
First things first; all of their food smells amazing. They definitely load it up with spices to kick up the flavor since they are being conscious about what to put in it.
Both their soups, the lentil and the roasted tomato, are wonderful; I’ve been enjoying pairing either one with a main (a combo special Under 500 offers). The lentil, though it may need an extra pinch of salt and pepper, gives you a little taste of home while the roasted tomato is creamy and packed with Italian flavors.
They also add fresh kale to the lentil soup, an unusual choice I was a little iffy about but have grown to enjoy for its texture.
Another favorite is the grilled chicken burger, topped with a chipotle mayo, tomato salsa, guacamole and sauteed mushrooms in a multi-cereal bun. Be warned that it is a little messy, but very tasty.
Also recommended is their cheesesteak sandwich, made with tenderloin beef strips and topped with grilled onions, sauteed mushrooms, mixed peppers and mild cheddar cheese in a whole wheat baguette; perfectly good and enjoyable.
Their chicken quesadilla is also not a bad choice for a light meal — a little thinner than I would like maybe and I wish the salsa was spicier, but I did enjoy the flavors of this dish.
Now their hot meals; while yet to try their pasta, I have become well acquainted with the rice dishes.
The kabsa, chicken tikka biryani and their famous butter chicken are all solid picks. For me, the best out of the three is the butter chicken, which comes with a small side salad made up of cucumbers, tomato and pomegranate seeds (again, unusual choice but I don’t mind it).
A meal I would not order again is the chicken mushroom with mashed potatoes — the chicken and sweetcorn mash were good and so were the steamed vegetables on the side, but the mushroom sauce was not the right taste at all — much too tangy and no true mushroom flavor.
I have been recommended the steak and eggs and the honey mustard salmon bowl, and have to say the salmon quinoa looks very interesting with the grilled vegetables on the side; all of which I look forward to trying.
Overall, will Under 500 blow your mind? No. Will you find yourself reordering from it because of its reliability, decent cost, health factor and pretty good flavors? Yes, so try it out.
