Approximately two-thirds of avocado oil in North America is adulterated and of lower quality than advertised, according to a recent study by researchers from the University of California, Davis.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has announced that the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine (NASEM) will conduct an independent study on challenges in the U.S. infant formula supply, market competition, and regulation.

A recent study, funded by the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s National Institute of Food and Agriculture (USDA’s NIFA), has estimated the economic burden of foodborne illnesses linked to flour and flour-based food products in the U.S. from 2001–2021 to be as high as $258 million. Salmonella and Escherichia coli were implicated pathogens.

To ensure safe operation of a human milk bank (HMB), a well-designed safety assurance plan should be put in place. HMBs implement procedures that allow for the management and sanitization of donor milk without significantly altering the nutritional and biologically protective components of human milk, obtaining a product characterized by a balance between safety and biological quality.

The full committee of the National Advisory Committee on Microbiological Criteria for Foods (NACMCF) will hold a hybrid in-person and virtual public meeting on May 16, 2023, to provide an update on the Cyclospora cayetanensis in produce and Cronobacter in powdered infant formula subcommittee work.

In this bonus episode of Food Safety Matters, we speak with two MilliporeSigma food safety experts about recent foodborne illness outbreaks and food safety incidents linked to infant formula, risk factors for formula contamination, and how producers can ensure formula safety and regulatory compliance.   

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) will host two webinars to provide stakeholders with information on regulatory requirements and considerations for infant formula ingredients and packaging in May and June, respectively.

Food Standards Australia New Zealand (FSANZ) is calling for submissions on its assessment of standards for infant formula products.

There are no public health or food safety issues posed by popular non-nutritive sweetener steviol glycosides, according to a risk assessment conducted by Food Standards Australia New Zealand (FSANZ).

Approximately 46 percent of honey imported to the EU is adulterated, according to the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA). These findings are the result of an EU-coordinated action, titled, “From the Hives.”