Microbiological Control

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The results of an FDA retail survey have been published, showing that pasteurization effectively inactivates avian influenza in dairy products other than milk, such as butter, ice cream, and cheese. USDA analyzed the samples collected by FDA.

Field studies led by Wageningen University have demonstrated the efficacy of two vaccines in reducing mortality in poultry infected with the Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI) H5N1 virus, although it is too early to draw accurate conclusions about transmission.

Acidification can inactivate Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza H5N1 (HPAI H5N1), a.k.a. “bird flu,” in milk, according to a UC Davis study. The finding is especially relevant to farmers, who often do not pasteurize waste milk.

More than 100 people have been sickened and three have died as the result of a foodborne illness outbreak linked to food served at four Italian nursing homes sharing the same meal production center. Investigations are underway.

Escherichia coli O157:H7 (EHEC) infections can occur after eating contaminated food, such as meat that has not been properly cooked or contaminated vegetables. The illness can lead to kidney failure via hemolytic uremic syndrome, and conventional antibiotic therapy can worsen the severity of the infection.

On February 13, Boar’s Head designated a companywide ‘Boar’s Head Food Safety Promise Day’ and unveiled new safety and sanitation controls and processes, following the fatal listeriosis outbreak linked to its products in 2024.

The new GENE-UP® TYPER solution from bioMérieux combines a PCR pathogen detection assay with a machine learning-based web application, facilitating root cause analysis of contamination incidents in the food industry.

A rodent study using real-world non-typhoidal Salmonella strains, conducted by University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) researchers, has shown the potential of a developing vaccine that is based in a novel, nontraditional delivery method.

According to the U.S. Public Interest Research Group’s (PIRG’s) Food for Thought 2025 report, hospitalizations and deaths linked to foodborne illnesses doubled in 2024. Illnesses also increased, 98 percent of which were attributed to just 13 outbreaks. The number of USDA and FDA recalls decreased by 5 percent.

A partisan House bill sponsored by U.S. Representatives Tracey Mann (R-KS) and Steve Womack (R-AK) aims to block USDA from using federal funds to implement its proposed regulatory framework for Salmonella in raw poultry products, the goal of which is to reduce foodborne salmonellosis cases.