Sanitation

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With IFFA2025 now behind us, it is a great time to reflect on the crucial role food safety plays in the protein processing industry. 

This episode of Food Safety Five discusses two scientific advancements related to Listeria monocytogenes control: 1) a study that showed the effectiveness of combining antimicrobial blue light with chemical sanitizers for pathogen inactivation, and 2) the development of a new growth prediction model for L. monocytogenes in artisanal cheeses.  

This article looks at the use of UV-C light in combination with hydrogen peroxide (H₂O₂) to disinfect packages in the extended shelf life of milk and plant-based products.

A study from the University of Georgia’s Center for Food Safety suggests a synergistic effect between antimicrobial blue light treatment and low concentrations of sanitizers commonly used in industry, finding enhanced inactivation of Listeria monocytogenes on food contact surfaces.

A recent study of Pseudomonas spoilage microorganisms isolated from dairy products in Spain identified the presence of highly biofilm-forming, antimicrobial-resistant (AMR) strains, presenting challenges for dairy industry control strategies, and posing the risk of transfer of AMR genes to pathogenic foodborne bacteria.

This episode of Food Safety Five discusses two recent scientific studies that are advancing the food industry’s understanding of and ability to address Listeria monocytogenes, including new findings about the pathogen’s behavior in biofilms and a developing rapid detection method.

A Boston University study has shown that Escherichia coli exposed to microplastics form strong biofilms and develop increased levels of antimicrobial resistance (AMR) and multi-drug resistance. 

A new study by USDA researchers has shown that long-read whole genome sequencing (WGS) could detect Salmonella attachment to food-contact surfaces earlier than traditional culture-based methods, allowing for sanitation interventions to be applied before the maturation of robust and difficult-to-remove biofilms.

Registration is open for the "Innovations in Cleaning and Sanitation for Low-Moisture Foods" conference, taking place at the the Land O’ Lakes Headquarters in Arden Hills, Minnesota in April. The event is jointly hosted by the Illinois Tech Institute for Food Safety and Health (IFSH), the University of Wisconsin–Madison’s Food Research Institute (UW-FRI), and the Institute for the Advancement of Food and Nutrition Sciences (IAFNS). 

With support from the Dairy Innovation Hub, a professor at University of Wisconsin–Platteville is establishing a research program to explore the use of cold plasma technology for food safety, sustainable agriculture, and dairy processing.