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In this episode of Food Safety Matters, we review the top food safety stories of 2023 and their implications, covering regulatory changes in the U.S. and abroad; growing concerns about chemical additives and contaminants, allergens, traceability requirements, infant formula, and retail foodservice safety; and the Poisoned documentary that premiered on Netflix in summer 2023.

With regard to the recently recalled, lead-contaminated applesauce packages that have caused lead poisoning among dozens of children, Jim Jones, Deputy Commissioner for Human Foods at the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), recently shared that the agency’s leading theory is economically motivated adulteration of cinnamon used in the products.

Concerns around food safety and scalability have surfaced since the successful launch of cultivated meat products in the U.S. This article summarizes recent regulatory developments that provide insight on how the current U.S. regulatory framework addresses food safety within the cultivated meat space.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) announced that Michael C. Rogers has been selected as the permanent Associate Commissioner for Regulatory Affairs in the FDA’s Office of Regulatory Affairs (ORA).

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has provided an update on its completed and ongoing actions to strengthen the safety and resiliency of the nation’s supply of infant formula, including specific actions the agency has taken to meet the recommendations made in FDA’s evaluation of the infant formula crisis response.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA’s) proposed reorganization package for a unified Human Foods Program (HFP) and new Office of Regulatory Affairs (ORA) model is now under review at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). The proposed changes have implications that will affect the entire agency.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has issued a final rule to complete administrative actions that reflect the agency’s June 2015 final determination that the use of partially hydrogenated oils (PHOs) in foods is no longer Generally Recognized as Safe (GRAS).

This article examines FDA's investigation of the 2022 regional outbreak of Salmonella Typhimurium on cantaloupe from the Southwest Indiana growing region, which caused 87 reported illnesses and 32 hospitalizations between July and September of that year, and discusses several themes and conclusions related to the outbreak, such as how "business as usual" will continue to produce the same results.

This article discusses the work being done by the Federal Regulatory Framework (FRF) Working Group, a collaboration between the Foundation of Cannabis Unified Standards (FOCUS) and the Association of Food and Drug Officials (AFDO), to advocate for and develop a comprehensive and relevant roadmap for the federal regulatory framework of cannabis-infused edibles and beverages to address critical challenges and enhance consumer confidence.

Namandjé N. Bumpus, Ph.D., current Chief Scientist at the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), will become the next FDA Principal Deputy Commissioner when Janet Woodcock, M.D. retires in early 2024. One of Dr. Bumpus' main priorities is to assist in the proposed reorganization of a unified Human Foods Program, including creating a new model for the Office of Regulatory Affairs (ORA).