Contamination Control

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A recent study of genomic data for Campylobacter from 2009–2019 found a steep increase in human infections attributable to poultry, as well as a concerning rise in the proportion of multidrug-resistant isolates. Campylobacter isolates associated with poultry were found to harbor the most antimicrobial resistance (AMR).

Key Technology’s new, easy-to-use COMPASS optical sorter for nuts identifies and removes product defects and foreign material.

A recent study analyzed U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) food product recall data from 2002–2023, drawing conclusions from more than 35,000 product recalls.

USDA’s Agricultural Research Service and the University of Maine recently held a workshop convening researchers, state partners, and other experts to identify research needs and solutions for per- and polyfluoroalkyl (PFAS) contamination on farms.

Domestic sales of medically important antibiotics for use in food-producing chicken, turkey, cattle, and swine fell by 2 percent in 2023, according to the latest report from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA).

Following the history of serious food safety noncompliances at Boar’s Head’s Jarratt, Virginia plant, which led to a fatal listeriosis outbreak, USDA’s Inspector General has launched an internal investigation into the agency’s handling of the repeated sanitary violations found at the facility.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service (USDA-FSIS) has extended its comment period for its proposed regulatory framework for Salmonella in raw poultry products for a second time, now giving stakeholders until January 2025 to submit feedback.

Marking the intersection between human decision-making and biosecurity, deliberate attacks present risks like the poisoning or adulteration of food products, or cyberattacks targeting control or process systems. Collectively, "cognitive security"—or protecting the human decision-making process—needs to be a consideration for industry, government, and academia as an element of food security. 

The final installment in this three-part article series on PFAS discusses how the food industry might look at areas of potential exposure to PFAS, steps it might take to test for and mitigate those risks, and an update on the latest developments in PFAS litigation.
 

Researchers with Ayass Bioscience have developed a novel, aptamer-based solution that neutralizes peanut allergens with potential application in the agriculture, food production, and sanitation sectors. The technology is non-invasive, and does not involve genetic modification to peanuts or traditional immunotherapy for patients.