Research on major water and foodborne pathogens in South America: advancements and gaps

The aim of this review was to understand the research that has been conducted in South American countries to detect or quantify major water and foodborne pathogens, with the aim of identifying advancements and gaps in food safety in the region. This systematic review focused on the following major bacterial pathogens: Salmonella spp., Shiga-toxin producing Escherichia coli, Listeria monocytogenes, and Campylobacter spp., along with the protozoal pathogens Cryptosporidium and Giardia. For this review, we searched for research articles conducted in Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador, Paraguay, Peru, Uruguay, and Venezuela. This study identified the following as major advancements: (i) research articles on pathogens in the food chain in South America have increased in this decade and (ii) studies have diversified detection methods in different food groups. In addition, the following points were identified as major gaps: (i) most of the food safety research has been conducted in Brazil and Argentina and (ii) scarce studies have quantified foodborne pathogens, which is crucial for risk assessment. Strengthening the scientific evidence of human exposure to major pathogens in food and water is necessary in this region, and it should be prioritized in public research funding.