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The Environmental Working Group’s (EWG’s) 2025 Dirty Dozen list considers pesticide toxicity for the first time. While critics say the list is alarmist and may discourage the consumption of safe fruit and vegetables, EWG argues that “legal does not mean safe” when it comes to pesticide residues.

Reflecting on 20 years of research, scientists from the University of Pretoria and the Water Research Commission in South Africa are calling for better national water quality standards, as well as regular surveillance and testing of water sources and produce, to address contaminated irrigation water and improve produce safety.

A survey of produce growers found that seven percent of respondents do not implement food safety risk reduction practices on their farms, reporting time and money to be the biggest challenges. Larger operations and farms subject to third-party audits were more likely to adopt risk reduction practices. 

Talam researchers have developed a technology that uses naturally occurring soil microbes to reduce bioavailability of toxic heavy metals to crops.

While most businesses in the food processing industry have detailed procedures, standards, and best practices to ensure food safety, Cut Fresh LLC has learned via experience that having a hands-on approach is what makes food safety achieve success, in addition to established procedures and practices. 

As part of the educational campaign, the New York State Department of Agriculture and Markets (AGM) has been releasing a series of social media posts this week to showcase the work conducted by department staff to ensure the state’s food supply is safe.

As of May 30, 45 people across 18 states have been infected, compared to 26 people across 15 states who had been infected with the outbreak strain of Salmonella as of May 19.

In a new opinion, the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) is proposing to modify the existing maximum residue limits (MRLs) for agricultural chemical chlormequat in oats, as well as in the products of food-producing animals.

A Center for Produce Safety-funded proof-of-concept study is exploring a novel, high-throughput capture and concentration method for hepatitis A virus in fruit wash water, which uses magnets and hydrogel nanoparticles. It could be added to existing FDA and ISO digital PCR assay workflows, potentially reducing false positives.

According to internal FDA and CDC reports uncovered by NBC News and attorney Bill Marler, in November 2024, a multistate Escherichia coli outbreak linked to lettuce sickened 89 people, resulting in 36 hospitalizations and one death. Mention of the outbreak was not made public until the investigation was closed, nor were any details shared openly.