A Center for Produce Safety-funded study is working to characterize the physiological changes that occur in Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli O157:H7 (STEC) bacteria that is present on romaine lettuce during postharvest cooling and refrigerated transport to processors, which could affect the pathogen’s virulence and detectability characteristics. The end goal of the research is to develop an easily accessible online tool for industry that identifies practices to mitigate the risks of STEC transmission via romaine lettuce.

The U.S. Food & Drug Administration (FDA) will hold an informational webinar on Wednesday, December 7, 2022, from 1:00–5:00 P.M. ET on the recently released Food Traceability Final Rule, issued under the FDA Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA).

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has completed its first premarket consultation for cultured meat (also known as “cell-based” or “lab-grown” meat), in response to a submission from company UPSIDE Foods, and has raised no questions about the products’ food safety. FDA expects cell-based meat products to be ready for the U.S. market in the near future.

The International Fresh Produce Association (IFPA) has shared its initial reactions to the newly published rule under the Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA)—Requirements for Additional Traceability Records for Certain Foods (Food Traceability Final Rule).

Penn State University researchers are exploring the efficacy of natural biochar to absorb pharmaceutical contaminants from wastewater to prevent the chemicals’ entry into soil and subsequent uptake by food crops.

On November 15, 2022, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) issued its final rule on Requirements for Additional Traceability Records for Certain Foods (Food Traceability Final Rule) under the Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA) Section 204(d).

On November 10, 2022, U.S. President Joe Biden signed the National Security Memorandum-16 (NSM-16), which aims to strengthen the security and resilience of the U.S. food supply and agricultural systems. NSM-16 focuses on threats such as climate change, supply chain disruption, cyberattacks, worker safety and workplace development, and other topics.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has released an outline of a prevention strategy that is under development for Cronobacter sakazakii contamination of powdered infant formula and enhance food safety. A notable action includes supporting the elevation of Cronobacter sakazakii infection among infants as a nationally notifiable disease.

A recent attribution analysis aimed to understand the epidemiological characteristics of foodborne illness outbreaks related to meat and meat products in China from 2002–2017.

The Washington State Department of Agriculture and its partners have developed an online, animated tool with learning modules to help growers comply with the sanitation requirements of the Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA) Produce Safety Rule.