Chemical Control

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To protect the health of young children, the Baby Food Safety Act of 2024 has been introduced in U.S. Congress to give FDA the authority to enforce scientifically established limits on heavy metals in commercially produced infant and toddler food.

A recent study found high levels of antimicrobial resistance (AMR) among Escherichia coli on raw chicken meat sold at retail in the UK, as well as in chicken-based raw dog food samples—with almost half of samples resistant to critically important antibiotics.

A recent study comparing the presence of chemical contaminants in conventionally and hydroponically grown produce found pesticide residues and toxic heavy metals in a larger number of conventional samples than in hydroponic samples. Phthalate levels were consistent between conventional and hydroponic samples.

The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) has announced the launch of the Reduce the Need for Antimicrobials on Farms for Sustainable Agrifood Systems Transformation (RENOFARM) initiative, a global 10-year effort to mitigate the growing public health threat that is antimicrobial resistance (AMR).

The European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) has published its 2022 report on pesticide residues in food in the EU.

On April 18, 2024, Illinois Senate Bill 2637, also known as the Illinois Food Safety Act, passed the state Senate and was progressed to the House.

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has designated two types of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS)—perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) and perfluorooctanesulfonic acid (PFOS)—as hazardous substances under the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act (CERCLA Act, also known as the Superfund Act).

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) recently published testing results for per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) in foods collected as part of its Total Diet Study (TDS), and has provided an update on the agency’s activities to better understand and address PFAS in the U.S. food supply, including an updated analytical method to measure the chemicals. 

Based on an analysis of seven years of data from the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA's) Pesticide Data Program, watchdog group Consumer Reports is warning that it found pesticide residues to pose “significant risks” in 20 percent of foods analyzed.

On May 9, 2024, the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) will hold a webinar via Zoom to discuss the food safety aspects that need to be considered and addressed when using environmental inhibitors in agrifood systems.