Food Safety Top Stories

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A law to protect the public health is a good idea, but it should be based on a risk assessment—i.e., whether exposure to the chemical really elicits an adverse reaction. Perhaps it is time to update or rethink California's Prop 65.

Each food processor, ingredient manufacturer, beverage manufacturer, or food hander should develop, document, implement, and maintain a program that focuses on how to prepare for and deal with an audit.  

In this episode of Food Safety Matters, we speak to water activity specialist and researcher Dr. Brady Carter about the importance of understanding water activity for shelf-life prediction, enhancing food safety and quality, and improving food system sustainability.

To date, food safety training has emphasized compliance rather than prioritizing the end consumer. This approach has served its purpose, but it is time to (figuratively) bring the consumer into the training room and redesign food safety education and training with a sharper focus and impact.  

Elizabeth Andoh-Kesson, Interim Director of GFSI, says that as climate-related food risks grow, businesses cannot simply rely on a reactive approach to food safety.

Supply chains are going digital, omnichannel operations are becoming the norm, and automation is everywhere. This should be good news for food fraud prevention. More data should mean more visibility, but in reality, it also creates more opportunities for both prevention and exploitation.

In this episode of Food Safety Matters, we speak to internationally regarded microbiologist and process authority—and Food Safety Magazine’s 2026 Distinguished Award Recipient—Larry Keener, about the highlights of his career, important food safety developments, and advice for early-career professionals.

Food safety professionals need better PR, not only to give credit where credit is due but also to ensure that a consistent stream of young talent is entering and innovating in the field.

This article discusses what the recently released Dietary Guidelines for Americans 2025–2030 say about "highly processed foods" and the food packaging concerns associated with such foods. 

Strengthening food system resilience requires not only technological innovation, but also an improved societal understanding of food system dynamics and risks.