The agency has also reopened a previously closed Salmonella outbreak investigation linked to powdered moringa supplements, with 22 new reported illnesses in four additional states.
Notable pathogen–food commodity pairings emerged, including Clostridium botulinum and Alaskan traditional fermented meats and fish. The analysis was conducted by FDA and CDC researchers.
The updated compliance program for pesticide residues includes a new focus on risk-based sampling of foods commonly consumed by young children and reflects procedural changes to the laboratory testing and analysis methods.
Campylobacter is the leading cause of foodborne illness in the UK, most frequently linked to contaminated chicken. The UK Food Standards Agency conducted a scientific assessment to consider possible future actions for reducing foodborne campylobacteriosis.
The agency has released a discussion paper offering context and questions about the lot-level tracking requirements of the Food Traceability Rule to help shape engagements with industry, including a virtual public meeting in June.
On May 26, Vermont Governor Phil Scott signed into law two bills related to food chemical safety; specifically, the nation’s first state-level ban on paraquat (H.739) and legislation setting heavy metals testing and disclosure requirements for baby food manufacturers (H.536).
Highlighting contaminated seafood as a particular concern, the Destruction of Hazardous Imports Act answers FDA’s request for the authority to destroy food imports that do not pass safety inspections at the border, preventing importers from “port shopping” their unsafe products.
Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) are potentially carcinogenic compounds formed during high-heat cooking. An emerging testing method known as QuEChERS—which stands for “Quick, Easy, Cheap, Effective, Rugged, and Safe”—is designed to overcome the limitations of conventional PAH tests.
