Ongoing debates about the use of rapid microbiological test methods in food safety have led to the rise of many questions about the future of this type of testing. This column will explore which methods are being used, food processors' views on what attributes of the tests are most important, how fast is fast enough, and what even faster tests would enable them to accomplish. It also explores where the growth may continue and whether rapid methods used in commercial labs will continue to drive growth, or if a plateau is likely. Growth in regions outside of the U.S. and Europe will also be examined, along with whether rapid testing technology is evolving to the point where it may be acceptable to bring back the analysis to an in-plant lab.
A recent study has demonstrated the protection that multispecies biofilms provide to Listeria monocytogenes against sanitizers, and could help inform more effective sanitation procedures in food processing environments.
With a $5 million grant from the U.S. National Science Foundation (NSF), a multidisciplinary research team is developing sensor-based rapid detection technology, backed by an artificial intelligence (AI) –powered decision support system, to control Salmonella and other foodborne pathogens throughout the poultry supply chain.
A project funded by the Center for Produce Safety aims to analyze risk factors and sampling points for pathogens in controlled environment agriculture (CEA) facilities to provide data industry can use to develop control measures.
Using whole genome sequencing (WGS), U.S. federal and state public health officials recently solved a multistate foodborne illness outbreak investigation that has been ongoing since 2014, with the most recent illnesses being reported in December 2023.
In light of USDA-FSIS’s proposed regulatory framework to reduce Salmonella illnesses attributable to poultry, a recently published report by the National Advisory Committee on Microbiological Criteria for Foods (NACMCF) provides guidance on microbiological criteria that might be used to identify and incentivize effective intervention strategies.
The new Fumo-V™ ONE Strip Test from Waters Corporation can test for fumonisin and other prevalent mycotoxins in finished animal feed and pet food in less than ten minutes.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service (USDA’s FSIS) recently highlighted its key achievements in 2023 that helped strengthen food safety and the supply chain, including efforts on a new regulatory framework to crack down on Salmonella in poultry.
A recent study reviewed the efficacy of environmentally friendly pathogen inactivation methods against Listeria monocytogenes biofilms in food production environments, specifically, electrolyzed water, plasma-activated water, ozone, and enzymes.
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