Food Safety Magazine

The cover story for the April/May ‘26 issue of Food Safety Magazine discusses the overlooked but critical role that middle managers play in shaping food safety culture. Additional features explore how the seafood industry can expand a safe and sustainable food supply; best practices for validating cleaning to prevent allergen contamination in processing environments; and how laboratories can produce reliable Salmonella testing results when following FDA guidelines.

This image shows a woman in a white blazer actively collaborating with a team in an office setting.

Why Middle Managers Hold the Key to Food Safety

This overlooked sub-group plays a large part in determining culture, execution, and risk performance

Lone Jespersen Ph.D. Marie Tanner M.Sc.

April 10, 2026

This article discusses how the overlooked sub-group of middle management plays a large part in determining culture, execution, and risk performance.

This image captures a chaotic scene of Atlantic fishing vessels netting fish in northern Norway, surrounded by thousands of seagulls feasting on the catch.

Riding the Wave: Seafood Sector Must Embrace Sustainability and Safety to Ensure Success

The seafood industry must ensure that operational models meet evolving market expectations, and then properly leverage them to drive profitability and success

Lisa Goché

April 15, 2026

In the fight against food insecurity, seafood is an essential source of protein. Growing the responsibly produced seafood supply depends on every part of the value chain. Industry must ensure that operational models meet evolving market expectations, and then properly leverage them to drive profitability and success.

Best Practice Considerations to Enhance the Effectiveness of Allergen Cleaning and Validation

The development and validation of effective cleaning practices are imperative to prevent allergen cross-contact

Steve L. Taylor Ph.D. Melanie Downs Ph.D. Philip Johnson Ph.D. Joseph Baumert Ph.D.

April 20, 2026

This article examines how the development and validation of effective cleaning practices are imperative to prevent allergen cross-contact in food processing environments.

a Petri dish containing a microbial culture medium

Tips for Building Confidence in Your Third-Party Laboratory's Salmonella Results

Salmonella testing plays an important role in reducing risk by providing validation and verification of Salmonella control strategies

Anna Schumann Ph.D. Catharine Carlin Ph.D. Martin Wiedmann Ph.D., D.V.M.

April 24, 2026

This article reviews why testing for Salmonella is important, the challenges encountered when testing for Salmonella (specifically when using FDA's Bacteriological Analytical Manual Chapter 5 guidelines), and how to evaluate if your testing laboratory is providing reliable testing results.

Food Safety Insights and the 2026 Food Safety Summit

The 2026 Food Safety Summit education agenda will explore a number of topics addressed in Food Safety Insights over the past few years

Bob Ferguson

April 29, 2026

This article previews upcoming sessions at the 2026 Food Safety Summit and ties in topical learnings from recent Food Safety Insights columns.

When Dead Bacteria Trigger False Alarms: Rethinking a Common "Live–Dead" Test

False positives may result from PMA use in PCR testing, which can lead to food recalls and waste

Simerdeep Kaur Ph.D.

May 4, 2026

This article discusses the problem of false positive results when using propidium monoazide (PMA) in PCR testing for food safety.

a person looking at items on a grocery store shelf while holding a black shopping basket.

New USDA Dietary Guidelines with a Focus on Food Packaging

Changes in focus in the new Dietary Guidelines are the inclusion of food packaging and its connection to highly processed foods

George G. Misko J.D.

May 8, 2026

This article discusses what the recently released Dietary Guidelines for Americans 2025–2030 say about "highly processed foods" and the food packaging concerns associated with such foods.

This image illustrates the concept of digital warehousing and the integration of artificial intelligence in supply chain management.

Food Fraud Prevention Meets Supply Chain Digitalization: Why Old Systems are Not Enough

The intersection of digitalization, omnichannel operations, and automation is creating both challenges and opportunities for food fraud prevention

John W. Spink Ph.D. Roy Fenoff Ph.D.

May 13, 2026

Supply chains are going digital, omnichannel operations are becoming the norm, and automation is everywhere. This should be good news for food fraud prevention. More data should mean more visibility, but in reality, it also creates more opportunities for both prevention and exploitation.

This image features a variety of plant-based meat alternative products, including tofu, plant-based milk, and veggie patties or meatballs.

Food Innovation: An Introduction to Precision Fermentation

The biotechnology behind precision fermentation is likely to become increasingly important in food manufacturing

Chris McGarvey

April 6, 2026

Precision fermentation has the potential to improve food security, promote sustainable food production, and support the food sector as an important driver of economic growth. The biotechnology behind precision fermentation is likely to become progressively visible, and its role in food manufacturing will become increasingly important. 

Live: May 28, 2026, at 2:00 pm EDT: From this webinar, attendees will learn why validation and verification are necessary for allergen control, and how analytical tools can support allergen management programs.

Live: June 3, 2026 at 2:00 pm EDT: Join this webinar to learn how AI is impacting food safety training, and how you can leverage AI in your programs.

Our Publications

Food Safety Magazine

April/May 2026

Cover Story

Why Middle Managers Hold the Key to Food Safety

Features