Microbiological Control

RSS

Responding to recent listeriosis outbreaks and recognizing that consumers do not always handle or cook ready-to-heat meals in accordance with package instructions, the Food Safety Authority of Ireland (FSAI) encourages businesses to implement recommended practices to better control L. monocytogenes.

Nearly all of the ill people interviewed reported consuming Raw Farm-brand raw dairy products. Testing and an onsite inspection of Raw Farm’s operation in California is ongoing. Raw Farm LLC has yet to issue a recall.

The Center for Produce Safety-funded project aims to generate practical guidance for produce growers, including improved sampling approaches to determine whether groundwater is influenced by surface water, and immediately actionable recommendations for mitigating microbial contamination and biofilms in irrigation systems.

Radio Frequency Company’s Macrowave Radio Frequency (RF) pasteurization systems have been fully validated for the treatment of rice flour utilized in infant formula, achieving a greater than 5-log reduction of important pathogens.

Researchers developed a quantitative microbiological risk assessment (QMRA) framework that evaluates the public health, environmental, and economic trade-offs of microbiological sampling plans. They suggested microbiological sampling may be most useful when risk-based or as a verification tool.

“If mandatory authority needs to be strengthened, the Food Safety Caucus stands ready to tackle this issue at FDA’s request,” wrote Congress members in a statement about the ongoing E. coli outbreak involving Raw Farm raw cheese products. Raw Farm has so far refused to recall.

A key cause of the outbreak was determined to be contaminated eggshells used in poultry feed. Cross-sector collaboration and data-sharing were instrumental in solving the investigation.

WHO assessed the overall public health risk as “moderate,” citing the vulnerability of infants, uncertainty around the extent of contamination, and gaps in surveillance and traceability.

No U.S. Salmonella outbreaks linked to Mexican papayas have been identified since 2020 thanks to collaborative efforts between regulators and industry in both countries. The case study could serve as a framework for improving food safety in other commodities and global supply chains.

The products have been recalled, but have a long shelf life. FDA previously reported working with the manufacturers to determine the root cause of contamination, but has not shared an update at the time of the investigation’s close.