Bailee Henderson

This episode of Food Safety Five discusses allergen news in the EU, where experts recommend “hidden” food allergens for mandatory labeling, and in the U.S., where USDA-FSIS is adding gluten to its allergen verification activities.

Illinois recently enacted a law that requires baby food manufacturers to test their products for toxic elements (i.e., lead, cadmium, arsenic, and mercury). By January 2027, the results must be made publicly available for consumers.

This episode of Food Safety Five discusses recent events at CDC, from the loss of officials to program cuts, and how these changes are impacting food safety work.

The final Make America Healthy Again (MAHA) Report was unveiled in a September 9 press conference led by HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. Food safety, consumer, and environmental stakeholder groups criticize the report’s deregulatory approach and lack of enforceable actions.

The Campbell’s Company is the latest food company to pledge to end the use of artificial food dyes in its products following HHS’/FDA’s prompting, reflecting HHS Secretary Kennedy’s MAHA movement, changing consumer preferences, and state additives bans.

Following years of line speed waiver extensions and worker safety trials under modernized swine/poultry slaughter inspection pilot programs, the American Protein Processing Act would lift line speed limits in pork and poultry processing facilities that meet food safety criteria set by USDA.

In two letters, thousands of public health professionals from dozens of stakeholder groups and federal agencies have called for the resignation of HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. (RFK Jr.), saying he is making Americans “less safe in a multitude of ways,” including food safety.

This episode of Food Safety Five discusses three recent studies that examine the risk of Listeria monocytogenes growth from multi-species biofilm contamination, how imported seafood may spread antibiotic resistance genes, and a promising AI mycotoxin detection method.

Following the firing of former CDC Director Susan Monarez, Ph.D. on August 27, HHS Deputy Secretary Jim O’Neill, who has no medical or infectious disease training, has been named CDC Acting Director.

Nominated by President Trump and confirmed in July, CDC Director Susan Monarez, Ph.D., was fired after scientific clashes with HHS Secretary Kennedy (RFK Jr.) and refusing to dismiss three veteran officials, who also departed CDC shortly after her termination was finalized.