The researchers developed a new method to study antimicrobial resistance in food samples. They found that this method is better at detecting resistance genes compared to traditional methods. By using this new approach, they discovered that certain bacteria in retail foods carry a lot of genes that make them resistant to antibiotics. This suggests that these foods could play a role in spreading antibiotic resistance. The study shows that by focusing on specific genes, we can better understand how resistance spreads in our food supply.