The Joint FAO/WHO Expert Committee on Food Additives (JECFA) recently reaffirmed a “not specified” acceptable daily intake (ADI) for titanium dioxide, as well as concluded that there is no safety concern for and established the specifications for 21 flavoring agents. 

The European Food Standards Agency (EFSA) has published its annual report for the Scientific Network on Microbiological Risk Assessment, summarizing the network’s activities throughout 2023. The network facilitates scientific cooperation between 25 EU Member States, Switzerland, and Norway.

The European Commission is poised to make the controversial decision to renew ten-year approval of the use of glyphosate, the active ingredient in Monsanto-Bayer’s Roundup product line, which has come under fire in recent years for its association with cancer.

On November 13, 2023, the Alliance for a Stronger FDA hosted a webinar with James "Jim" Jones, the recently appointed Deputy Commissioner for Human Foods at the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), during which he discussed his priorities, plans, and approach to change at the agency. He provided expected timelines for specific initiatives, such as finalization of the Agricultural Water Rule and an officialized outline of the new Human Foods Program.

A federal appeals court has overturned the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA’s) 2021 ban on all uses of the toxic pesticide chlorpyrifos in food crops.

A recent study funded by the U.S. National Institutes of Health (NIH) has provided strong evidence linking the ingestion of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), which are present in food packaging and pervasive in drinking water, to thyroid cancer.

A recent study led by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) investigated factors that could contribute to cross-contamination of food in restaurants, and observed more frequent contamination actions in establishments lacking food safety certification, food safety training, and handwashing policies.

Due to concerns about harms to human health, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has proposed to revoke the regulation that authorizes the use of brominated vegetable oil (BVO) in food. The agency also announced its intent to review three other possibly toxic, FDA-regulated food additives that were recently banned in the state of California, and announced that a decision about red dye 3 is forthcoming.

A recent study has demonstrated the efficacy of antimicrobial blue light technology for the inactivation of both dried cells and biofilms of Listeria monocytogenes on surfaces found in food processing environments. 

A recent Joint Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO)/World Health Organization (WHO) Expert Consultation on Risks and Benefits of Fish Consumption has concluded that, while the nutritional and health value of eating fish is undeniable, more research is required about the toxic effects of exposure to methylmercury and dioxins from consuming fish.