Recently introduced to the U.S. Senate, the Stephen Hacala Poppy Seed Safety Act would prohibit the sale of poppy seeds that contain harmful levels of opiates and require the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to issue regulations that establish a maximum level of contamination
A recent analysis of a Canadian foodborne salmonellosis outbreak investigation has highlighted the importance of considering possible aerosolization of bacteria from drainage systems in restaurants as a risk factor for foodborne illness outbreaks.
A study led by scientists at the University of Birmingham has found that one multidrug-resistant (MDR) strain of Escherichia coli—MDR ST131—has the ability to outcompete other strains of E. coli in a healthy gut.
A recent U.S.-based study analyzing the risk of multidrug-resistant (MDR) foodborne pathogen contamination of retail meats associated with the processor region of origin and shipping distance to the final destination suggests that increased distance is linked to increased MDR bacterial contamination.
The World Health Organization’s (WHO’s) International Agency for Research on Cancer has classified two types of per- and polyfluoralkyl substances—perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) and perfluorooctanesulfonic acid (PFOS)—as “carcinogenic to humans” and “possibly carcinogenic to humans,” and noted that the general population’s main route of exposure to these chemicals is through food and drinking water.
The Joint FAO/WHO Expert Committee on Food Additives (JECFA) recently reaffirmed a “not specified” acceptable daily intake (ADI) for titanium dioxide, as well as concluded that there is no safety concern for and established the specifications for 21 flavoring agents.
Funded by the Center for Produce Safety (CPS), University of Tennessee researchers are examining whether adding food-grade antimicrobials to the wax and fungicidal coatings typically applied to stone fruit might mitigate foodborne pathogen contamination while extending shelf life.
The European Food Standards Agency (EFSA) has published its annual report for the Scientific Network on Microbiological Risk Assessment, summarizing the network’s activities throughout 2023. The network facilitates scientific cooperation between 25 EU Member States, Switzerland, and Norway.
As of November 24, 2023, a fatal foodborne outbreak of salmonellosis linked to cantaloupes has caused 99 illnesses across 32 states in the U.S., and 63 illnesses across five provinces in Canada. A total of three patients have died. A recall has been issued.
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