Microbial Quality and Antibiotic Resistance Patterns of Isolate Bacteria from Ready-to-eat food and Associated Factors in Catering Kitchen of Jimma University Medical Center

Abstract

Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) in foodborne bacteria is an escalating global public health challenge, threatening the effectiveness of antibiotics and food safety. Ready-to- eat (RTE) foods are widely consumed in hospital settings, yet they pose significant public health risks when contaminated with pathogenic and antibiotic-resistant bacteria