High Prevalence of Cronobacter in Spices and Emergence of Multidrug-Resistant Salmonella in Retail Foods, Northwest China (2020–2024)

• Cronobacter prevalence in spices reached 18.03% in Northwest China(2020–2024) • Salmonella MDR 83.33%, resistant to carbapenems, polymyxin B, β-lactamase inhibitors. • Cross–contamination in retail markets drives Salmonella spread in inland regions. • Urgent need to include Cronobacter in routine spice monitoring programs. • One Health approach required to contain AMR in the food chain. Given increasing food safety concerns in urbanizing China, this study investigated the microbial contamination of retail foods in Pingliang, a typical inland city in Northwest China (2020–2024). It focused specifically on Cronobacter spp. contamination in spices and antimicrobial resistance in foodborne Salmonella . A total of 784 samples across 17 categories were collected and tested by national standard methods. All Salmonella isolates underwent serotyping and antimicrobial susceptibility testing. The overall pathogen detection rate was 13.65%, rising significantly from 5.93% (2020) to 24.00% (2024) ( P < 0.001). High-risk categories included spices and powders (37.70%), aquatic products (17.14%), meat products (14.34%), and catering foods (13.14%). Cronobacter sakazakii was detected in 18.03% of spice samples, with a concurrent mold contamination rate of 29.51%. Salmonella was predominantly found in meat products (7.35%), representing 71.43% of all isolates. Notably, Salmonella was more prevalent in aquatic products (10.00%) than Vibrio parahaemolyticus (1.43%). Predominant serotypes were Typhimurium (21.43%) and Enteritidis (14.29%). Resistance rates exceeded 60% for ampicillin, cefazolin, nalidixic acid, and tetracycline, with a multidrug resistance rate of 83.33%. Resistance to carbapenems, polymyxins, and a novel β-lactam/β-lactamase inhibitor combination was detected, while tigecycline remained fully susceptible. This study reveals rapidly increasing foodborne contamination in this inland Chinese city, highlighting spices as an underestimated Cronobacter sakazakii reservoir and widespread multidrug resistance in Salmonella , including to last-resort drugs. These findings underscore the urgent need for routine Cronobacter monitoring in spices and One Health interventions to curb resistance dissemination, and provide critical regional data to support global efforts in monitoring Cronobacter in dry matrices and combating antimicrobial resistance in Salmonella .