Tracking antibiotic-resistant bacteria in Pennsylvania grocery foods
Official title: Pennsylvania Surveillance for Antimicrobial Resistant-enteric Bacteria in Retail Food
Funded at Pennsylvania State Dept of Health · NIH-11390561 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This project looks for antibiotic-resistant bacteria in foods sold in Pennsylvania to help protect people who eat those foods.
Quick facts
| Grant type | U01 cooperative agreement |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Pennsylvania State Dept of Health NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Harrisburg, United States) |
| Project start | September 1, 2020 |
| Project end | August 31, 2030 |
| Funding year | 2025 |
| Award (this year) | $190,000 |
| NIH project number | 2U01FD007142-06 |
| Project ID | NIH-11390561 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates are Pennsylvania residents who have a suspected foodborne illness and healthcare providers or labs that can share clinical samples or isolate data, as well as retail sites that can provide food samples.
✕Less likely to help
People with infections unrelated to food exposure or individuals living outside Pennsylvania are unlikely to receive direct benefits from this program.
What this research studies
If you shop or eat food in Pennsylvania, this program collects samples of meat, poultry, and other retail foods across the state and tests them for germs like Salmonella and Campylobacter that can resist antibiotics. The team uses whole genome sequencing to compare bacteria found in food with bacteria from sick people so they can spot matches and trace contaminated products. Results are shared with the FDA and national systems like NARMS to guide inspections, recalls, and public health action. The work helps public health officials detect emerging resistance and respond faster to outbreaks.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could lead to faster removal of contaminated foods and better protection from antibiotic-resistant foodborne infections.
How similar studies have gone: National surveillance programs like NARMS and prior retail food monitoring have successfully identified outbreaks and resistance trends, and adding whole-genome sequencing builds on that track record.
Where this research is happening
-
Pennsylvania State Dept of Health
Harrisburg, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: M'ikanatha, Nkuchia Mugambi — Pennsylvania State Dept of Health
- Study coordinator: M'ikanatha, Nkuchia Mugambi
About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page.