Organized through Cornell's Dry Sanitation Research Advisory Council and hosted by Kerry, the Cornell Advancing Dry Sanitation forum combined research presentations, industry experience, and interactive discussions across six themes: moisture management, emerging technologies, allergen control, hygienic design, sanitation validation, and priorities for future collaboration.
Choosing between dry and wet sanitation in low-moisture food processing environments requires balancing cleaning effectiveness against the microbial risks introduced by water. A risk-based approach can help facilities determine when controlled wet cleaning is justified and how to minimize associated food safety risks.
Treatment effectiveness varied by L. monocytogenes strain and bacteriocin used. While the findings supported continued development of enzyme-bacteriocin combinations as potential bio-based tools for L. monocytogenes biofilm control, researchers highlighted the need to ensure that biofilm disruption is accompanied by effective bacterial inactivation.
In this episode of Food Safety Matters, Adam Holt, BCE, Founder and Principal Consultant of NameDatBug, discusses common pest management vulnerabilities in food facilities, best practices for integrated pest management (IPM), and the benefits and limitations of electronic monitoring and AI. He also shares strategies for improving audit readiness and adapting to emerging pest pressures.
Postbiotin-E8, derived from Lacticaseibacillus, demonstrated antibacterial and antibiofilm activity against several foodborne pathogens, as well as the ability to extend the freshness of pasteurized milk, suggesting its potential as a natural preservative and surface decontaminant.
Researchers tested two low-cost food safety intervention approaches in small- and medium-scale pig slaughterhouses. Despite improvements in hygiene practices, neither approach was associated with reduced carcass contamination, suggesting the need for sustained, multi-level interventions targeting infrastructure, operations, and worker hygiene.
The National Pest Management Association (NPMA) is urging commercial businesses to watch for early signs of rodent activity and take preventive steps before an infestation develops.
Respondents generally reported sanitation practices intended to minimize water introduction, but opportunities remained to improve relative humidity management, standardize understanding of sanitation breaks, and better characterize the relationship between moisture management and microbial contamination risks.