The recent lead chromate contamination incident in cinnamon applesauce pouches has underscored critical gaps in our national food recall system, and illustrates the urgent need to modernize food recall processes and enhance data-sharing among food safety and public health agencies.

Following the largest Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli (STEC) outbreak affecting children in the Province of Alberta, Canada’s history, a review panel has put forth several recommendations that focus on fostering food safety culture and developing food safety inspection systems for childcare establishments/kitchens.

Following a survey of 3.2 million pigs raised under the U.S. Pork Quality Assurance Plus (PQA+) program, USDA has announced a total absence of Trichinella infections in the national pork supply—a parasite that was once a major food safety risk, but is now controlled.

On September 25, FDA will hold a public meeting on its work to develop an enhanced systematic process for the postmarket assessment of chemicals in foods, with in-person and virtual attendance options available.

FDA recently asserted that available scientific evidence “does not demonstrate that levels of microplastics or nanoplastics detected in foods pose a risk to human health.” However, the agency acknowledges the current science is limited by a lack of standard definitions or methods. 

Considering new data, the UK Food Standards Agency (FSA) has found that there is insufficient evidence to conclude the safety of food contact materials containing bamboo and similar unauthorized plant-based materials.

USDA-FSIS has published its revised regulatory framework for Salmonella in raw poultry products, setting an enforceable final product standard for the pathogen that focuses on serotypes of public health significance. The framework also establishes new requirements for sampling and verification, as well as process control.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has published the results of a sampling and testing assignment to determine the prevalence of Cyclospora cayetanensis, Salmonella, and Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli (STEC) in cilantro, parsley, and basil.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) will hold an informational webinar on August 6, 2024 on basic Produce Safety Rule requirements for growing, harvesting, packing, and holding the most common types of mushrooms, as well as specialty mushrooms.

The Center for Food Safety and other stakeholder groups have petitioned the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) calling for a ban on the use of PFAS as pesticide ingredients, or as components in pesticide containers.