Dr. Gunnar Sigge, Stellenbosch University Associate Professor and Department of Food Science Chair, has assumed the role of President. Dr. Jeffrey Varcoe, Senior Vice President of Science and Technical Excellence at The J.M. Smucker Company, is now IFT President-Elect.
Donations will support the organization’s work to drive food safety improvements through regulatory advocacy, culture change, and consumer support, as well as to share the impactful stories of its constituent advocates who have been impacted by foodborne illnesses.
As discussed at the 2024 Global Food Safety Symposium at Michigan State University, resilient food safety systems are not built by one technology, one regulation, or one training program. They come from sustained investment in people, partnerships, scientific excellence, and institutions that can respond to evolving risks.
Additionally, 80 percent of respondents believed food recalls were effective in protecting public health and safety, down from 85 percent in 2025. GS1 US suggested that traceability and improved data-sharing would help companies identify affected products and increase consumer confidence.
The qualitative, risk-based framework is designed to help manufacturers, foodservice operators, suppliers, and buyers evaluate microbiological hazards associated with dried fruits, vegetables, herbs, and spices, and appropriate pathogen mitigation measures.
In an effort to address the “silent pandemic” of antimicrobial resistance (AMR), a recently concluded UK Animal and Plant Health Agency (APHA)–FAO project has helped partners across Africa and Asia to improve their AMR detection, analysis, and mitigation capabilities.
The Taylor Farms iceberg lettuce recall has been given Class I status. The details of the recall and FDA’s public health advice remain unchanged. Experts explain why recall classifications “should not be a media-worthy event” and how such headlines can cause confusion among consumers.
The Nara Organics infant botulism outbreak has ended, with four sick in three states. Whole genome sequencing (WGS) findings and a shared powdered milk supplier/processor indicate a common source of contamination with the 2025 outbreak linked to ByHeart infant formula.
Regulation (EU) 2025/179, which came into effect on August 23, requires EU Member States to conduct WGS on five key pathogens during foodborne illness outbreak investigations. An interview with EFSA’s Dr. Frank Verdonck unpacks the new rule and previews the upcoming Science Meets Policy conference.
Controlling foodborne antimicrobial resistance requires a One Health approach centered on food hygiene. Although antimicrobial stewardship can slow the emergence and enrichment of resistant bacteria, existing environmental reservoirs mean that resistant bacteria can contaminate food regardless of antimicrobial use.
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