Microbiological Testing & Analysis

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The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Economic Research Service found that Salmonella caused 80 percent of pathogen and toxin violations from 2002–2019, based on a recent study of import refusals.

This column will expand on the findings of the FDA study of the economic evaluation of the GenomeTrakr whole genome sequencing (WGS) program, adding data on the use of sequencing and how it will continue to change food safety practices and markets. It will also discuss what FDA is doing with GenomeTrackr to uncover previously unseen outbreaks and how this is keeping pressure on processors to expand environmental monitoring and controls.

When determining the shelf life of meat products, it is important to consider how the growth of both spoilage organisms and pathogenic bacteria can be prevented, while at the same time keeping a keen eye on the sensory quality of the product.
 

As food processors continue to recover from 2020, we wanted to find out more about their plans for 2021. One thing was clear: Testing—especially environmental monitoring—will continue to grow at a rapid pace.  

The rate of nonconfirmable presumptives in food pathogen diagnostics has increased significantly in recent years. We explore the reasons why in this article.

I recall sitting in the office one day in the fall of 2018 when I received a call from a reporter who informed me that there had been a further outbreak of Escherichia coli O157:H7 linked to romaine lettuce. After an initial response of “oh, no,” the reporter asked why do we continue to have outbreaks linked to lettuce?