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The latest Annual Report from the Office of Coordinated Outbreak Response, Evaluation, and Emergency Preparedness (CORE+EP) summarizes its response to outbreaks and adverse events associated with FDA-regulated human foods, and details notable incidents.

FDA found Indonesia’s Cs-137 import certification program for shrimp and spices, launched because cesium-contaminated shipments of shrimp and spices were detected in the U.S., “substantially meets requirements” after the certifying entities corrected deficiencies identified through an in-country assessment.

Positive environmental samples were found on a farm and at a Taylor Farms of Mexico processing facility, which supplied the implicated lettuce distributed by Taylor Fresh Foods. The root cause of contamination was not found, however. FDA also announced ten actions to prevent future cyclosporiasis outbreaks.

FDA published its annual Pesticide Residue Monitoring Program Report for Fiscal Year 2024, finding that pesticide chemical residues measured in the U.S. food supply were generally in compliance with EPA tolerances.

Dr. Overton also suggested it may be appropriate to consider federal preemption of state food additive bans, and was questioned about how she would ensure food safety after inheriting an understaffed Human Foods Program and inspector workforce due to the Administration's layoffs.

In this episode of Food Safety Matters, we speak about gluten-free food safety from the perspectives of a person with celiac disease, a consumer advocate, and a food manufacturer, including gluten-free labeling requirements, food safety controls, gaps in U.S. labeling regulations, and policy discussions around cross-contact, precautionary labeling, thresholds, and "free-from" claims.

FDA has released the 2026 Food Code, introducing updated model provisions for retail and foodservice establishments on food defense, food safety management systems, employee illness, sanitation, food handling, and other areas.

FDA’s CORE+EP team conducts outbreak surveillance, investigation, mitigation, and post-response initiatives for products regulated by the Human Foods Program, including the analysis of outbreak data for food safety decision-making and sharing outbreak findings with food safety stakeholders. 

Based on a nationwide study of retail food store delis, FDA identified employee handwashing and proper cold and hot holding temperatures as areas requiring greater control, and identified Food Safety Management Systems (FSMS) as the strongest predictor of food safety compliance.

CDC has declared the unprecedented Cyclospora outbreak linked to Taylor Farms iceberg lettuce over. FDA continues its root cause investigation of the current outbreak as well as investigations into other U.S. cyclosporiasis outbreak clusters.