Bailee Henderson

In light of USDA-FSIS’s proposed regulatory framework to reduce Salmonella illnesses attributable to poultry, a recently published report by the National Advisory Committee on Microbiological Criteria for Foods (NACMCF) provides guidance on microbiological criteria that might be used to identify and incentivize effective intervention strategies.

A recent study reviewed the efficacy of environmentally friendly pathogen inactivation methods against Listeria monocytogenes biofilms in food production environments, specifically, electrolyzed water, plasma-activated water, ozone, and enzymes.

Recent sampling and testing of ingredients used for plant-based dairy alternatives has revealed highly variable microbial loads among ingredients, although many samples contained a high proportion of spore-forming microbes as part of the total counts.

A recent analysis of food safety hazard notifications concerning seafood recorded through the Rapid Alert System for Food and Feed (RASFF) between 1996 and 2020 has revealed hazard trends.

Adding to the mounting body of evidence pointing to the health harms of dietary exposure to per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), a new study by researchers at Aberdeen and Örebro Universities indicates that the “forever chemicals” affect humans as early as in the fetal stage of development.

Following the California Food Safety Act’s precedent, Illinois Senate Bill 2637, dubbed the Illinois Food Safety Act, aims to ban brominated vegetable oil, potassium bromate, propylparaben, and red dye 3 from foods sold in the state.

In light of the recent string of lead poisoning cases in children across the U.S. linked to fruit puree pouches contaminated with lead and chromium, members of the House Committee on Energy and Commerce have written a letter to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to express concerns and request an immediate briefing.

A recent study has shown the potential of a bacteriophage cocktail for controlling nontyphoidal Salmonella enterica on chicken, while also emphasizing that, because phage efficacy is dependent on many variables, validating treatments for relevant application conditions is key.

The European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) recently published a scientific opinion that identified the most relevant persistent microorganisms in food and feed production environments to be Salmonella, Listeria monocytogenes, and Cronobacter sakazakii, as well as risk factors and interventions associated with these pathogens.

Eliminating redundancies, increasing efficiency, and cultivating a culture of collaboration were the main themes of a January 19 webinar featuring top U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) officials, hosted by Alliance for a Stronger FDA to discuss the agency’s proposed reorganization.