Extended‐spectrum β‐lactamase‐producing Enterobacteriaceae from ready‐to‐eat foods: Genetic diversity and antibiotic susceptibility

Ready‐to‐eat (RTE) foods are widely marketed in China and are important components of everyday diet. In this study, a total of 2000 RTE food samples were analyzed, 252 (12.60%) of which were positive for Enterobacteriaceae, and 48 were identified as containing extended‐spectrum β‐lactamase (ESBL)‐producing Escherichia coli isolates. Furthermore, the antimicrobial resistance patterns of these isolates to 14 antimicrobial agents revealed that most isolates were resistant to aminoglycosides and β‐lactam antibiotics. The TEM‐type gene was prevalent in our isolates (79.17%). The isolates (n = 48) were classified into three clusters based on the ERIC‐PCR results. Forty‐eight sequence types were found without duplicates, revealing genetic variation and relatedness among isolates. Thus, the results demonstrated the presence of ESBL‐producing Enterobacteriaceae in Chinese RTE foods. The results of this study provide insights into the spread of antibiotic‐resistant strains and improve understanding of microbial risks.