In Northwestern China, more than 200 children enrolled at a private kindergarten have been hospitalized for lead poisoning. Investigators suspect school kitchen staff used non-edible lead paint to make certain food items. Officials arrested eight people.
During its 100th session held in June, the FAO/WHO Joint Expert Committee on Food Additives (JECFA) evaluated the safety of eight food additives and one processing aid, including rosemary extract, Gardenia Blue, and carob bean gum, and revised the specifications of seven other additives and processing aids.
Thailand achieved remarkable success in hosting THAIFEX–ANUGA ASIA 2025, held from 27–31 May under the theme "Beyond Food Experience." The event delivered far more than a conventional exhibition, offering a meaningful platform for business engagement, trend discovery, and innovation.
Preliminary figures from Food Safety Australia New Zealand’s (FSANZ’s) 2025 foodborne illness economic burden estimate suggest that foodborne illness costs the Australian economy approximately $3 billion AUD each year, up from the $2.81 billion estimated in 2023.
In this episode of Food Safety Matters, we speak to Christian Ararat, a seasoned food safety and quality professional with a global perspective, about a range of topics, including auditing, traceability, certifications, exporting to the U.S., and artificial intelligence (AI). We also hear from Joseph Corby, the recipient of Food Safety Magazine’s 2025 Distinguished Service Award, about his illustrious career and advocacy work.
A recent study showed the high prevalence of Campylobacter in Nigeria with poultry as the primary reservoir, carrying significant food safety implications, and highlighting the importance of controlling the pathogen from a One Health perspective.
In an April 25 speech, UK Food Standards Agency (FSA) Chief Executive Katie Pettifer described efforts FSA is taking to improve meat industry regulation, including supporting the adoption of new technologies, negotiating international trade agreements, addressing inspector and veterinarian workforce shortages, evaluating inspection charge discounts, and tackling food crime.
With a primary focus on food safety, a foresight exercise conducted by FAO identified both opportunities and challenges related to innovations in the New Food Sources and Production Systems space.
The European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) has published a paper describing research and innovation needs to support regulatory science and advance risk assessment, including understanding the gut microbiome, improving aggregate chemical exposure science, ensuring allergenicity assessments for novel proteins are fit-for-purpose, and other areas.