Contamination Control

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Two ongoing studies funded by the Center for Produce Safety (CPS) are looking to improve detection and control methods for Cyclospora cayetanensis.

In this episode of Food Safety Matters, we talk to Jovana Kovacevic, Ph.D., Associate Professor and Food Safety Extension Specialist at Oregon State University’s Food Innovation Center (OSU’s FIC). Dr. Kovacevic discusses her work at FIC, which includes developing educational materials for industry related to the Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA), and conducting research on Listeria monocytogenes in an effort to better control the pathogen.

Mariani, dried fruit industry leader, recently decided to employ a VERYX® optical sorter from Key Technology to find and remove foreign material and product defects to make grade while maximizing yield.

A validated 3^rd party study has confirmed an average 5.40 log reduction of pathogens in wheat temper with the Guardian™ system by Energis Solutions™.

Experts with the World Health Organization (WHO) and the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) have developed a process for the consideration of future exemptions of highly refined foods and ingredients derived from or containing a priority allergen food.

A recent study analyzing food allergen recalls in the UK from 2016–2021 has revealed allergens to be the most prevalent cause, and milk to be the most commonly implicated allergen.

A recent workshop funded by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has identified several crucial working areas for mitigating the public’s exposure to toxic metals from the U.S. food supply, which is a pressing food safety issue. The workshop was conducted as part of the “Closer to Zero” initiative to address such exposure, in which USDA, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), and other federal agencies are involved.

The European Center for Disease Control and Prevention (ECDC) has released 2021 epidemiological reports for common foodborne illnesses listeriosis, campylobacterosis, hepatitis A infection, Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli (STEC) infection, salmonellosis, and yersinosis.

The European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) has determined the food safety of plastic polyethylene terephthalate (PET) when produced by a recycling process called Poly Recycling for use in food contact materials.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Agricultural Marketing Service (USDA’s AMS) has found the majority of fruits and vegetables in the U.S. to contain pesticide residues below the tolerances established by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), according to the agency’s Pesticide Data Program (PDP) summary for 2021.