Washington State testing retail meat and seafood for antibiotic-resistant bacteria
Official title: Washington State Public Health Laboratories NARMS Cooperative Agreement Program Application 2025-2026. Retail Meat and Seafood Surveillance.
Funded at Washington State Department of Health · NIH-11386015 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This project checks meat and seafood sold in the Puget Sound area for bacteria that resist antibiotics to help protect local shoppers and guide public health action.
Quick facts
| Grant type | U01 cooperative agreement |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Washington State Department of Health NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Tumwater, United States) |
| Project start | September 1, 2016 |
| Project end | August 31, 2026 |
| Funding year | 2025 |
| Award (this year) | $180,677 |
| NIH project number | 2U01FD005791-10 |
| Project ID | NIH-11386015 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
People who live in or shop for meat and seafood in the Puget Sound region, and anyone affected by a local foodborne illness, are most directly connected to this work.
✕Less likely to help
People who live outside Washington state or who never purchase or consume retail meat or seafood are unlikely to see direct benefits from this specific program.
What this research studies
If you buy meat or seafood in the Puget Sound region, this program regularly buys samples from stores and tests them for bacteria that may not respond to common antibiotics. The Washington State Public Health Laboratory follows FDA protocols to culture bacteria, run microbiology tests, and share results with the national NARMS system. Results are used to spot emerging resistance trends, support outbreak investigations, and inform public guidance on food safety. The work also helps the health department track changes over time and improve responses when foodborne illnesses occur.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, the project can lead to faster detection of antibiotic-resistant bacteria in the food supply, better outbreak response, and clearer guidance to keep people safe.
How similar studies have gone: NARMS and other foodborne antimicrobial-resistance surveillance programs have a long record of tracking resistance trends and informing public-health and industry actions.
Where this research is happening
-
Washington State Department of Health
Tumwater, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Hiatt, Brian — Washington State Department of Health
- Study coordinator: Hiatt, Brian
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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.