Microbiological Control

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Researchers are exploring the use of superheated, dry steam to clean food manufacturing facilities where the use of traditional wet sanitation is limited, such as in produce packing facilities and low-moisture food processing plants.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service (USDA’s FSIS) has highlighted several fellowship projects that will advance food safety and help to inform FSIS decision-making.

In an after-action review of a 2022 Escherichia coli O157:H7 outbreak linked to ground beef, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration’s Food Safety and Inspection Service (USDA’s FSIS) highlights the importance of improving outreach to food retail stores about best food safety practices for beef that will be ground.

Using whole genome sequencing (WGS), researchers from the University of Johannesburg have identified a trend of nonpathogenic Listeria strains developing concerning characteristics, such as virulence and stress resistance. Like the pathogenic L. monocytogenes, the “harmless” strains L. innocua and L. welshimeri are common to food processing facilities.

A joint Nordic project has just ended with a report that focuses on the chemical and microbiological hazards associated with seaweed as a food. The project aims to develop a common Nordic approach to seaweed food safety risk management.

A new study has linked Salmonella exposure to a heightened risk of colon cancer, underlining the importance of preventing foodborne illness through good food safety practices.

Aged meat does not carry greater food safety risks than fresh meat when aging is done correctly, according to a new scientific opinion adopted by the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) that focuses on the microbiological food safety risks of aged meat in comparison to fresh meat and provides recommendations for safe production.

Researchers are exploring the potential of protective bacterial cultures to mitigate the growth of foodborne pathogens that have developed antimicrobial resistance.

Researchers at the University of Georgia’s College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences are researching a sunlight-based method for controlling microbial contaminants—specifically, Salmonella and Escherichia coli—in irrigation water used for food crops. After enough research is conducted, the UGA team hopes to create an app that will help growers enhance food safety.

Artificial Intelligence (AI) with optical imaging may be a promising solution for detecting pathogens in foods, and would save the food industry time and resources, according to a recent study.