This episode of Food Safety Five discusses two scientific advancements related to Listeria monocytogenes control: 1) a study that showed the effectiveness of combining antimicrobial blue light with chemical sanitizers for pathogen inactivation, and 2) the development of a new growth prediction model for L. monocytogenes in artisanal cheeses.
According to FOODAKAI’s Global Food Recall Index, the first quarter of 2025 has seen significant increases in food product recalls across the dairy, poultry, and produce categories internationally.
According to UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) laboratory data on campylobacteriosis and non-typhoidal salmonellosis reports in England for 2014–2023, the total number of confirmed reports for both pathogens reached ten-year highs in 2023, and incidence for both also increased from the previous year.
In May 2024, USDA-FSIS published a final determination setting levels at which Salmonella would be consideredan adulterant in not-ready-to-eat (NRTE), breaded and stuffed chicken products, which also established a verification sampling program and a requirement for establishments to reassess their HACCP plans. FSIS has delayed the date for its sampling program and the HACCP reviews from May to November, 2025.
A limited number of state jurisdictions have completely adopted the most recent norovirus food safety provisions outlined in the FDA Food Code, according to an analysis conducted in 2020 by CDC researchers.
A study demonstrated the toxic effects of exposure to per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) in worms—but not all PFAS were found to be equally toxic, and not all worms experienced the same harms. Identifying which genes cause PFAS susceptibility in both worms and humans could speed up PFAS testing and regulation.
The latest data published by the Swedish Food Agency shows that very few foods on the Swedish market violate EU pesticide residue limits, and more than half of foods tested contained no detectable levels of pesticides at all.
The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) recently published its first annual report summarizing infectious disease trends, which noted increases in the incidence of infections by important foodborne pathogens like Escherichia coli, Salmonella, Listeria monocytogenes, Campylobacter, and norovirus.
Additional resources and authorities, made possible by user fees for the regulated food industry, could enable FDA to better monitor the food supply and review the safety of ingredients, argues a new expert policy analysis.
A paper authored by experts associated with ILSI Europe asserts that global food safety would benefit from the harmonization of risk assessment protocols for food contact materials used by different regulatory bodies, and suggests a path forward for working toward harmonization.
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