BBSRC Institute Strategic Programme: Microbes and Food Safety

Food safety, encompassing concerns about pathogens and spoilage-causing bacteria, significantly impacts human health, despite often being taken for granted. Although the UK is considered relatively free from microbial pathogen risks, the Food Standards Agency (FSA) estimates that around 2.4 million cases of microbial foodborne illness occur annually, costing over £9 billion. Additionally, food spoilage presents an economic threat by increasing retail costs, with microbes responsible for up to 25% of food spoilage.

The project’s mission is to reduce human foodborne illness through improved food safety and to reduce waste due to food spoilage. Through an examination of the issue in three key themes, the project aims to identify what microbial threats are present in our food, particularly newer food types. Moreover, it will delve into understanding how microbial threats spread and cause disease or food spoilage by studying the genetic diversity and dynamics of gene flow within populations of foodborne bacteria. In particular, assessing evolving microbial threats from foods associated with shifts in consumer preference, trading relationships and climate change.