The Institute of Food Technologists (IFT) has released a report commissioned by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) that evaluates food traceability trends based on 90 submissions from teams participating in FDA’s 2021 Low- or No-Cost Tech-Enabled Traceability Challenge. IFT determined that the knowledge, means, and technology have been developed to make end-to-end tech-enabled traceability a reality, but it will not be realized without collective action and continued innovation among the diverse food industry community.
Following the success of the last two years, the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) and its partners in EU Member States are launching the third edition of the #EUChooseSafeFood campaign on social media.
On May 15, 2023, the California State Assembly passed first-of-its-kind legislation that would prohibit the use of certain dangerous and toxic chemicals in processed foods and drinks. Assembly Bill (AB) 418 would prohibit the manufacture, sale, or distribution of any food product in California containing red dye 3, titanium dioxide, potassium bromate, brominated vegetable oil, or propyl paraben.
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has released a draft Compliance Policy Guide (CPG) for FDA staff on the agency’s enforcement of major food allergen labeling and cross-contact. In response to FDA’s statement about the inclusion of sesame in foods that did not previously contain the allergen, the Center for Science in the Public Interest (CSPI) expressed its dissatisfaction.
A recent study aiming to describe the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on cases of foodborne enteric diseases in Canada found a considerable reduction in cases in 2020 compared to pre-pandemic levels.
The Food Date Labeling Act,a bipartisan, bicameral bill, has been reintroduced in Congress to standardize and clarify food date labels to prevent food from being wasted.
Researchers from the Singapore Food Agency’s National Center for Food Science and the National University of Singapore have developed a real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR) approach for the detection of viable Salmonella Enteritidis contamination in shell eggs, which would accelerate the traditional Salmonella testing process if integrated.
The closing session of the 2023 Food Safety Summit featured a panel discussion among prominent attorneys who work on behalf of consumers and industry—with all advocating on the side of food safety. Expert lawyers discussed the common gaps and weaknesses they see in company operations, culture, and regulatory adherence that lead to adverse events, such as foodborne illness outbreaks and recalls.
The 2023 Food Safety Summit town hall session centered on a conversation with top food industry regulators and advisory groups about the key issues, updates, and initiatives happening within their organizations.
A recent study, funded by the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s National Institute of Food and Agriculture (USDA’s NIFA), has estimated the economic burden of foodborne illnesses linked to flour and flour-based food products in the U.S. from 2001–2021 to be as high as $258 million. Salmonella and Escherichia coli were implicated pathogens.
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