The microbiological quality of most ready-to-eat (RTE) plant-based meat, dairy, and fish substitutes was satisfactory, but elevated levels of pathogens and indicators in some commodities raised process and hygiene concerns. An analysis of the products’ physico-chemical properties suggested they could support microbial growth.
The researchers determined that probabilistic modeling could help food businesses capitalize on existing scientific data to map processing and formulation conditions for controlling non-proteolytic C. botulinum in refrigerated, processed foods of extended durability.
Oxford University researchers found that the expansion of dense, industrial chicken farming created conditions that enabled Campylobacter strains to spread, mix, and acquire traits that could improve their survival in poultry production environments.
The resource provides recommendations and examples for implementing FSMA Preventive Controls for Human Foods Rule requirements to control known or reasonably foreseeable biological hazards in fresh-cut produce.
The report examines spore-forming, botulinum toxin-producing clostridia that pose persistent challenges for food production, including C. botulinum, C. perfringens, and C. difficile. It reviews disease burden, outbreak risks, prevention strategies, detection methods, and significant epidemiological data gaps.
Federally defining UPFs could allow U.S. regulatory agencies to pursue specific policies for the category. The importance of processing versus nutrient content and formulation in causing diet-related chronic diseases, as well as the value of defining UPFs, has been heavily debated.
Importantly, the proposal would not establish a premarket review and approval process for GRAS substances. Companies could still independently conclude that a substance is GRAS and market it while FDA evaluates the notice.
A new study found high levels of multidrug resistance and biofilm formation among Enterococcus spp. isolated from retail meat, market workers, and consumers. Genetic similarities among E. faecalis and E. faecium isolates from different sources suggested potential cross-transmission at the food–human
interface, although the researchers emphasized that direct transmission was not established.
The bipartisan Food Allergy Safety, Treatment, Education, and Research (FASTER) Act of 2026 would amend FDA's major food allergen labeling requirements to include barley, rye, and oats alongside wheat, in an effort to mitigate "hidden" exposure to gluten for consumers with celiac disease and gluten intolerance.
Hydrogen peroxide treatment, followed by catalase enzyme application to remove residual peroxide, significantly reduced Salmonella Typhimurium and Listeria monocytogenes on raw chicken wings while preserving the meat's overall color quality, although more research is needed on the effect on other organoleptic properties.
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