Food Safety Magazine Editorial Team

The UK Food Standards Agency (FSA) has been awarded £1.6 million in funding to research cell-cultured food safety and facilitate application support for manufacturers before these products can enter the UK market. 

In this episode of Food Safety Matters, we speak to Dr. Takashi Nakamura, Vice President of Food Safety at Fresh Del Monte, about the company’s food safety initiatives, from supplier approval and grower engagement to environmental monitoring, traceability, and beyond. 

Mérieux NutriSciences has entered into an agreement to acquire the food testing business of Bureau Veritas, which includes its microbiological and chemical analysis and molecular testing activities. 

The UK Food Standards Agency (FSA) is seeking stakeholder comment on a proposed guidance for industry regarding best practices for providing allergen information on non-prepackaged foods, such as in restaurants or at deli counters.

U.S. Senators Edward Markey and Cory Booker recently wrote a letter to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) urging the agency to revoke its authorization for phthalates in food contact materials, arguing that the chemicals are proven to be toxic. 

A recent study suggests that global control measures for Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI) H5N1 infection in poultry and dairy cattle are insufficient. Gaps in control measures exist, including resistance to modern vaccines and surveillance technologies.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), and the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) have released an online tool to help biotechnology companies better understand the regulatory requirements for genetically modified organisms (GMOs).

Mettler-Toledo Product Inspection has introduced two-, three-, and four-in-one inspection systems combining checkweighing, metal detection, X-ray, and vision inspection.

Osaka Metropolitan University researchers have developed an antibody that can identify Campylobacter jejuni and inhibit its growth, which could potentially power rapid detection solutions for food contamination and medical interventions for foodborne illness. 

Babylife Organics has become the second U.S. baby food producer to announce a product testing initiative guided by EU standards; specifically, for toxic heavy metals, tested at four points along production, and measured in parts-per-billion.