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Salmonella spp. have long been associated with low-moisture foods such as nuts and nut-derived products, with varying prevalence observed in tree nuts, including cashews, at retail. Virtually all cashews are imported to the U.S. Some nuts, including cashews, are imported as a "raw" product (i.e., one that has not been subjected to a process to adequately reduce pathogens, such as a kill step). Salmonella contamination of such products has resulted in several notable outbreaks in the U.S. in the past ten years, including those in which cashew-containing products have been implicated as a vehicle. This article presents a brief overview of outbreak investigations of Salmonella infections linked to the consumption of cashews and cashew-containing food products. It also presents challenges encountered, lessons learned, and relevant regulatory requirements for importers and manufacturers of cashews and cashew-containing products.

This article discusses the consumer and regulatory drivers of the current focus on heavy metals in foods for babies and young children, and also explores the congressional investigation and FDA's subsequent Closer to Zero effort. It also discusses the latest developments and what moves can be expected next from FDA. 

The National Antimicrobial Resistance Monitoring System (NARMS) recently published its 2020 Integrated Summary, which includes data providing phenotypic and genomic antimicrobial resistance (AMR) trends for Salmonella, Campylobacter, generic Escherichia coli, and Enterococcus isolated from retail meat and food-producing animals.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) will host a free, hybrid public listening session on recall modernization on September 29, 2023. The listening session will provide an opportunity for stakeholders to share information and feedback about topics related to recall modernization for FDA-regulated products.

The Reagan-Udall Foundation for the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has published a new report outlining efforts to explore a public-private partnership to improve the tracking of antimicrobial use (AMU) in food-producing animals. 

In a new video and infographic, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has provided an overview of the traceback process used during foodborne illness outbreaks to investigate a food’s path through the supply chain.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has announced the fiscal year (FY) 2024 user fee rates for the Voluntary Qualified Importer Program (VQIP) and the Accredited Third-Party Certification Program (TPP). Both are programs under FDA’s Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA).

In this episode of Food Safety Matters, we are joined by Sarah Gallo, Vice President of Product Policy at the Consumer Brands Association (CBA). Sarah outlines CBA’s efforts to push for modernization at FDA with regard to inspections, recalls, labeling guidance development, and chemicals management in food packaging. She also shares CBA’s perspective on the proposed reorganization of FDA’s Human Foods Program. Also featured is a conversation with Dr. Emilio Esteban, Under Secretary for Food Safety at the USDA's Office of Food Safety, that was recorded at IAFP 2023 in Toronto, Canada.

In support of FDA's Closer to Zero initiative, researchers have conducted a risk assessment that estimates the U.S. population’s dietary exposure to cadmium. The study found children aged 6–24 months and 24–60 months to be the populations most highly exposed to cadmium, with concerning levels of exposure when compared to guidelines set by regulatory agencies.

Through a voluntary pilot program, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) found four major third-party industry auditing standards for food safety to be in alignment with both the Preventive Controls for Human Foods Rule and the Produce Safety Rule, which are FDA regulations that were issued as part of Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA) implementation.