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For the first time in 40 years, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has used an emergency order to immediately stop the use of a pesticide; specifically, DCPA a.k.a. Dacthal, which is a weed-killer used on produce that can affect fetal health and development.

On September 16–17, 2024, he National Advisory Committee on Meat and Poultry Inspection (NACMPI) will hold a public meeting to advise the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service (USDA’s FSIS) on definitions for establishment sizes, as well as on inspection technology.

A recent review of carcinogenicity data submitted to support U.S. FDA “Generally Recognized as Safe” (GRAS) determinations for food substances has shown that, although the types of carcinogenicity data are varied, safety is typically adequately evidenced. Still, a standardized approach defining which data is required to support a GRAS determination could be useful. 

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has issued a warning letter to the manufacturer of the apple cinnamon fruit puree pouches that gave hundreds of children across the U.S. lead poisoning in late 2023.

Thanks to whole genome sequencing (WGS) and other investigative data, two foodborne salmonellosis outbreaks previously thought to be separate have been linked to each other and have been associated with cucumbers.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) will hold an informational webinar about mycotoxins on September 10, 2024 at 10: 30 A.M. ET.

Any time a new piece of equipment, such as an increasingly relevant “collaborative robot” (cobot), is incorporated, the food safety plan—including the hazard analysis—must be reanalyzed to determine the new equipment’s impact on the food safety system, and what mitigation strategies must be deployed.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service (USDA’s FSIS) has published a guidance that provides a list of test kits that have been validated for detection of relevant foodborne pathogens.

California AB 2316, which is named the California School Food Safety Act and aims to ban six synthetic food dyes from school foods, will soon face an important vote. Proponents and detractors of the bill have made their voices heard ahead of the vote. 

New regulations concerning per- and polyfluoralkyl substances (PFAS) have impacted the food and beverage industry, but it will take time to replace PFAS with safe substances, as well as to establish comprehensive regulations and enforcement. However, time is running out.