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Members of Congress have written a letter to the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) asking the agency to answer questions about its inspection actions leading up to the fatal Boar’s Head listeriosis outbreak, and about its authorities and processes for preventing such events.

In response to a FOIA petition submitted to USDA by the Associated Press, the agency chose to withhold the requested Boar’s Head inspection and enforcement reports on the grounds that they were being compiled for law enforcement purposes related to the recent listeriosis outbreak.

Baby food producer Little Spoon is the first U.S. company in the sector to promise to never sell product that exceeds EU-aligned limits for toxic heavy metals, pesticides, and plasticizers, and to voluntarily publicize its product testing results.

A recent survey of the low-moisture food industry and relevant stakeholders has revealed the sector’s key food safety challenges and research needs related to food safety culture, sanitation, pathogen reduction, and technology adoption.

A foodborne listeriosis outbreak linked to Boar’s Head ready-to-eat (RTE) deli products has sickened 34 people across 13 states, resulting in two deaths. A recall is in effect.

Beginning in September, the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service (USDA’s FSIS) will implement a new sampling program to verify allergen label claims on ready-to-eat (RTE) foods.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has sent a warning letter to Bimbo Bakeries USA Inc. for listing “contains” statements for major food allergens on the labels of products that do not actually contain the listed allergens. The warning letter follows an FDA statement denouncing a trend of food manufacturers attempting to circumvent allergen cross-contamination requirements by exploiting loopholes around “may contain” label statements.

A recent study of canned tuna packed in oil and sold in Europe revealed toxic chemicals bisphenol A (BPA) and/or glycidol in all of the analyzed tuna products. Mercury and 3-MCPD were not found at levels high enough to cause concern.

Fresh prepared foods (FPF)—convenient grab-and-go and deli items that are sold at grocery stores—increased in popularity during the COVID-19 pandemic. Demand for these goods has remained strong, driving an increased focus on, and need for, food safety for FPF. 

A study has identified significant deficiencies in existing quantitative risk assessment models for Listeria monocytogenes on produce, such as failure to consider important contamination factors in primary production, among other gaps.