Items Tagged with 'whole genome sequencing'

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.

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.

The European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) has published guidelines for reporting whole genome sequencing (WGS) data in compliance with Regulation (EU) 2025/179, which requires Member States to conduct WGS on the isolates of five important pathogens during the investigations of foodborne illness outbreaks and sets data-sharing parameters.

A study used machine learning to analyze WGS data for Salmonella isolates from ten European nations. The findings reveal that poultry and pigs remain the dominant sources of human salmonellosis. Notable cross-border transmission underscores the need for internationally harmonized control strategies.

This article discusses the results of a 2024 follow-up survey to a 2019 workshop on the food industry's use of whole genome sequencing (WGS), the benefits and challenges of this technology, and necessary advancements for its continued acceptance and effective use in ensuring food safety.

A UK-based study, led by Quadram Institute researchers, underscores the limitations of traditional enumeration methods for foodborne pathogen surveillance and highlights the need for whole genome sequencing (WGS) to better assess the food safety risk posed by commensal or opportunistic Escherichia coli lineages.

New research has demonstrated a low overall prevalence of Campylobacter on retail chicken meat; however, recovered C. jejuni strains did not match known poultry-associated genotypes, suggesting the need for sensitive detection methods and expanded genomic surveillance.

The UK Food Standards Agency (FSA) has reported on the outcomes of the recently concluded, £24 million Pathogen Surveillance in Agriculture, Food, and the Environment (PATH-SAFE) program, and announced that it will continue to build on the work of PATH-SAFE with a national Food Surveillance Program.

This episode of Food Safety Five discusses two scientific developments that could help address the risk posed by Cronobacter in powdered infant formula: an AI-powered analysis of genetic data for C. sakazakii, providing new insight into why it persists in low-moisture foods, and the development of a promising new assay.

A study of Salmonella isolated from retail poultry meat has demonstrated a concerning presence of antimicrobial resistance (AMR) genes with the ability to transfer between bacteria.