An ongoing Center for Produce Safety-funded study is investigating the factors contributing to the persistence of a reoccurring, emerging, and persisting (REP) Escherichia coli O157:H7 subtype associated with leafy greens foodborne illness outbreaks, with the goal of developing a risk assessment tool for growers.
A new Southern California-based study found that food safety may play a role in UTIs. Genomic analysis of Escherichia coli isolates from UTI patients and retail meats linked 18 percent of UTIs to E. coli strains of animal origin, suggesting foodborne transmission.
Although this severe Escherichia coli strain is already prevalent in countries with less robust food safety and sanitation systems, as climate change becomes more extreme and cuts are made to food safety monitoring and infrastructures, it is becoming a growing threat to developed countries as well, researchers warn.
A review published by EFSA concludes that, while there is clear evidence of microplastic release from food contact materials (FCMs), the actual quantities are likely lower than many studies suggest, and current evidence does not support reliable exposure estimates. Nanoplastics data remain insufficient.
A 2024 European foodborne illness outbreak caused by a rare Salmonella serotype, linked to leafy greens grown near a buffalo farm, exposed gaps in biosecurity, surveillance, and data transparency across the agri-food system.
A new study assessed the efficacy of a commercial lytic bacteriophage cocktail as a preharvest agricultural water treatment against Salmonella Infantis, and found modest but consistent pathogen reductions across diverse water conditions.
New research has demonstrated a low overall prevalence of Campylobacter on retail chicken meat; however, recovered C. jejuni strains did not match known poultry-associated genotypes, suggesting the need for sensitive detection methods and expanded genomic surveillance.
A recent study investigating Listeria monocytogenes in South Korea’s beef supply chain revealed the presence of the pathogen exclusively in retail product samples, underscoring the importance of strict food safety controls post-harvest. The strains isolated were hypervirulent and stress-adapted.
A recent study investigating biofilms in water hoses used in a meat processing facility revealed widespread microbial colonization, reaffirming concerns about hoses as reservoirs for pathogens, and underscoring the need for routine monitoring and maintenance of water delivery systems.
The Trivalent Salmonella Conjugate Vaccine (TSCV), which simultaneously addresses typhoid fever and foodborne illness caused by non-typhoidal Salmonella enterica, elicited strong immune response in 100 percent of participants in the randomized, placebo-controlled clinical trial.
