Although food safety spending cuts were associated with local authority staffing reductions and decreases in the number of official food hygiene interventions, industry compliance was not negatively affected.
The UK Government’s PFAS Plan addresses human dietary exposure and food and water contamination, environmental monitoring, potentially restricting PFAS uses, and other actions.
This episode of Food Safety Five discusses new research about the rising Salmonella disease burden worldwide and the utility of whole genome sequencing (WGS) for Salmonella surveillance.
Responding to the global infant formula recall affecting products from Nestlé, Danone, and other producers, the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) has determined concentrations of cereulide in formula that pose a safety concern to guide risk management decisions that protect public health.
Following a global recall of infant formula products due to cereulide toxin contamination, EU officials are taking steps to prevent illnesses from cereulide-tainted formula in the future. Cases of mild illness associated with recalled product have been reported in Europe.
New research has demonstrated that certain plant-based compounds (i.e., curcumin, berberine, quercetin, and capsaicin) can enhance the antimicrobial effect of blue light treatment against Listeria monocytogenes on food and disrupt its biofilm-forming abilities.
Researchers estimate that the use of whole genome sequencing (WGS) for routine pathogen surveillance in Australia prevents up to 10,900 foodborne salmonellosis cases and delivers as much as $17 million in cost savings annually.
Nofima recently reported on a successful “Seek and Destroy” process carried out by a smoked salmon producer implicated in a listeriosis outbreak, which demonstrated the importance of hygienic design and WGS, and the limitations of standard cleaning and sampling.
An international study has shown that European seafood is high in PFAS, and that fish exports expose consumers in regions of the world with otherwise low levels of pollution to harmful “forever chemicals.”
