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Due to a steady increase of foodborne Cyclospora cayetanensis infections in recent years, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) charged the National Advisory Committee on Microbiological Criteria for Foods (NACMCF) with producing a report that provides information on the factors that contribute to the contamination of produce by the parasite, as well as recommendations for a prevention and management strategy.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has announced the appointment of 21 new members and nine returning members to the National Advisory Committee on Microbiological Criteria for Foods (NACMCF). A virtual public meeting will be held in November to welcome the committee members and introduce a new charge on the genomic characterization of pathogens.

A new coalition between various food safety stakeholders has been formed with the purpose of advocating for a modernized, effective Human Foods Program at the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA).

In this bonus episode of Food Safety Matters, we are joined by two experts from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) about the agency’s enforcement of allergen requirements for foods, allergen recall trends, and the implications of the FASTER Act officially making sesame a major food allergen.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has released the report for its fiscal year (FY) 2021 pesticide residue monitoring program, summarizing findings from FDA testing of human and animal foods for pesticides and industrial compounds. 

In an October 19 invite-only media roundtable and written statement, James (Jim) Jones, the first Deputy Commissioner for Human Foods at the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), revealed his priorities for forging a new, unified Human Foods Program. Significantly, amid the wave of state legislators aiming to ban possibly harmful food additives, Jones stated his intent to more closely address the issue, beginning with brominated vegetable oil. 

A recent assessment conducted by the National Environmental Health Association (NEHA) and funded by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (­FDA) has provided a better understanding of NEHA-FDA Retail Flexible Funding Model Grant Program (RFFM) distribution based on social needs. RFFM provides funding to state, local, tribal, and territorial retail food regulatory agencies as they achieve and advance conformance with FDA’s Retail Program Standards.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture recently signed a memorandum of understanding, entering the agencies into a partnership agreement to set the foundation for domestic mutual reliance and an integrated food safety system in Pennsylvania. 

Starting in 2010, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) began to include new restrictions in new Food Contact Notifications on the use of food contact substances for infant applications. Recently, FDA has hosted webinars to present information on regulatory requirements and considerations for infant formula ingredients and packaging. This article will discuss the history and current efforts by FDA to ensure the safety of infant formula, especially pertaining to food contact substances used in packaging.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has updated its infant formula compliance program, which outlines the agency’s approach to inspections, sample collection, sample analysis, and compliance activities for FDA personnel, with a focus on Cronobacter and Salmonella contamination.