The nationwide infant botulism outbreak associated with ByHeart infant formula has grown to 39 cases in 18 states. All 39 infants were hospitalized; no deaths have been reported.
Based on extensive global dialogue and a survey of auditors and industry professionals, a new report published by World of Auditing reveals that food safety auditing is at a pivotal turning point, outlining longstanding challenges and significant opportunities for modernization.
The artificial intelligence (AI) rollout is intended to improve operational efficiency by enabling the creation of more complex AI workflows to assist with multi-step tasks, including pre-market reviews, review validation, post-market surveillance, and inspections and compliance.
The sampling and testing project will support the National Antimicrobial Resistance Monitoring System (NARMS) by identifying trends and emerging risks from drug-resistant foodborne bacteria. Findings will be used to create a model that can help predict and address antimicrobial resistance (AMR) mitigation strategies.
The French agency ANSES published the results of a two-year, national sampling and testing assignment for “forever chemicals” in drinking water, which was conducted to inform future monitoring strategies. Although most analyzed samples fell below regulatory limits for PFAS, TFA was found in 92 percent of samples.
As of December 2, laboratory-confirmed cases in the ongoing Salmonella outbreak linked to pistachios has reached 155, and CFIA now requires importers and manufacturers of Iranian pistachios to hold and test their products for Salmonella before they can be sold.
EVOCA, a new biofungicide from Biotalys, has received regulatory approval from EPA, and has also been exempted from maximum residue limits based on its safety profile.
As part of the EU authorization procedure for a new food additive application, EFSA conducted a risk assessment for jagua (genipin-glycine) blue, which concluded no safety concern and established an acceptable daily intake (ADI). The fruit-derived food dye is already permitted in the U.S.
A European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) draft scientific opinion, which lowers the tolerable weekly intake (TWI) for dioxins and dioxin-like polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), is available for public feedback. The new TWI is exceeded by Europeans in all age groups.
After withdrawing its previously proposed regulatory framework for Salmonella in raw poultry in April, USDA-FSIS is indefinitely delaying verification activities for Salmonella in not-ready-to-eat, breaded and stuffed chicken products, and is reconsidering its strategy to reduce Salmonella in poultry with an exploratory public meeting in January.