Food Safety Magazine

IAFNS Names 2026 Emerging Leaders Awardees for Food Safety, Nutrition

Fri, 17 Apr 2026 14:07:23 -0400

Drs. Carla Schwan and Lauren O’Connor have been recognized for their work in food safety and nutrition sciences, respectively.

EFSA Announces Third WGS Food Safety Conference

Fri, 17 Apr 2026 05:15:00 -0400

The third Science Meets Policy conference will take place September 2–3 in Rome, Italy, focused on helping EU competent authorities and industry members effectively implement new WGS data-sharing requirements for foodborne pathogens.

Despite Differences in Processed Food Categorization Systems, Consistent Health, Nutrition Associations Emerge

Fri, 17 Apr 2026 05:00:00 -0400

Researchers at Johns Hopkins University analyzed how four major food processing classification systems (including the NOVA “ultra-processed” definition) differ in categorizing foods and how those differences may influence nutrition research, public health, and policy.

USDA Creates Office of Seafood

Thu, 16 Apr 2026 15:04:34 -0400

One of the primary roles of the new office will be coordinating across USDA agencies to ensure fishermen are integrated into USDA programs.

FDA Finds E. coli in Raw Farm Cheese Matching a Second Outbreak

Thu, 16 Apr 2026 13:12:09 -0400

During its investigation of an ongoing Escherichia coli O157:H7 outbreak involving Raw Farm-brand unpasteurized cheddar cheese, FDA detected E. coli in a product sample not matching the current outbreak strain, but instead matching a strain from a different 2025 outbreak.

ASDA 2026 Annual Meeting Features Applied Dairy Foods Track

Thu, 16 Apr 2026 11:20:08 -0400

The meeting, taking place June 21–24 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, includes the first-ever Applied Dairy Foods track, a specialized program designed to equip dairy food professionals with science-driven, real-world strategies.

Study Shows Poor Recovery of Listeria Using Cotton Swabs for Environmental Monitoring

Thu, 16 Apr 2026 05:00:00 -0400

Sponges far outperformed cotton swabs in laboratory experiments and real-world sampling in an RTE food production facility. The findings align with existing recommendations supporting the use of sponge-based sampling with neutralizers for environmental monitoring.

NETZSCH Introduces Leakproof Pump for Viscous Product, Slurries

Wed, 15 Apr 2026 12:21:43 -0400

The NEMO R. MY Magnetically Coupled Pump is hermetically sealed and utilizes a magnetic coupling to transmit torque, resulting in a leak- and maintenance-free design.

Persistent, Multidrug-Resistant Salmonella Strain is Growing Cause of Poultry Contamination, Human Infections

Wed, 15 Apr 2026 05:00:00 -0400

Per CDC and USDA-FSIS data, in 2023, Salmonella Infantis strain REPJFX01 accounted for 97 percent of S. Infantis isolates and 21 percent of all Salmonella recovered from chicken carcasses. This rising trend is closely aligned with an increase in human salmonellosis infections linked to REPJFX01.

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

Wed, 15 Apr 2026 00:00:00 -0400

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.

Virginia Passes Law Requiring Allergen Markers on Delivery, Takeout Foods

Tue, 14 Apr 2026 16:32:39 -0400

Per the new law, restaurants must place an identifying marker on any food item prepared for delivery or takeout that has been altered or substituted due to a consumer-identified food allergy or sensitivity.

Registration Open for In-Person MSU Food Safety Culture Workshop in June

Tue, 14 Apr 2026 13:12:05 -0400

The event will take place at MSU’s East Lansing, Michigan Campus and will be led by former FDA foods official Frank Yiannas, M.P.H.

CEA Alliance Publishes Updated Food Safety Guide for Leafy Greens, Herbs

Tue, 14 Apr 2026 10:06:40 -0400

Controlled environment agriculture (CEA) is a unique food production system with its own food safety risks and considerations.

California Bill Aims to Ban PFAS Pesticides

Tue, 14 Apr 2026 09:46:56 -0400

AB 1603 would prohibit the registration of pesticides containing intentionally added PFAS in the state.

Sustainable Fertilizer Practice Causes Increased Cadmium in Rice, Study Shows

Tue, 14 Apr 2026 08:52:20 -0400

Large-scale recycled manure use—a circular agriculture approach used to combat soil acidification that reduces crop yield—can lead to the accumulation of cadmium in soil, which is then taken up by rice crops, affecting food safety.

Ep. 215. Stalker and Terada: Aligning Culture, Risk, and Operations at the Food Safety Summit

Tue, 14 Apr 2026 02:30:00 -0400

In this episode of Food Safety Matters, we speak to two industry leaders and Food Safety Summit Editorial Advisory Board members about managing food safety programs across large-scale, global operations; upcoming Summit sessions on imported food safety risks and food safety culture; and advice for early-career food safety professionals.

NEHA Launches Member-Exclusive Program to Support Environmental Health Professionals’ Wellbeing

Mon, 13 Apr 2026 16:14:43 -0400

NEHA Thrive provides practical leadership tools alongside science-informed strategies for managing stress, burnout, and long-term career sustainability while helping strengthen leadership capacity, improve communication and decision-making, and reinforce resilience.

Making the Invisible Visible

Mon, 13 Apr 2026 15:00:00 -0400

Food Radar Systems develops microwave-based foreign body detection technology for pumpable food products, helping manufacturers improve contamination control, food safety, and quality assurance across modern processing lines.

FDA Finds Adulteration in 4 Percent of Honey Samples

Mon, 13 Apr 2026 13:39:46 -0400

In 2025, FDA sampled domestic and imported honey to detect food fraud. Consistent with previous years, the rate of fraud was low, but still high enough to emphasize the ongoing vulnerability of honey to economically motivated adulteration.

CDC Reports Emergence of Extensively Drug-Resistant Shigella

Mon, 13 Apr 2026 09:27:42 -0400

The proportion of extensively drug-resistant isolates rose from 0 percent during 2011–2015 to 8.5 percent in 2023.

USDA-FSIS Updates WGS Laboratory Method

Mon, 13 Apr 2026 08:52:17 -0400

The updated Microbiology Laboratory Guidebook chapter on whole genome sequencing (WGS) of bacterial isolates now includes protocols for using both the Illumina MiSeq and MiSeq i100 sequencing platforms.

Netherlands Set to Ban Ashwagandha

Fri, 10 Apr 2026 13:42:43 -0400

In a meeting with industry, the Dutch Ministry of Health, Welfare and Sport (WVS) confirmed its intent to ban the botanical ashwagandha, a widely used dietary supplement and functional food/beverage ingredient.

Novel Phage Effectively Inhibits Antimicrobial-Resistant Salmonella, Biofilms on Food, Surfaces

Fri, 10 Apr 2026 05:00:00 -0400

Phage W5, isolated from poultry and livestock slaughterhouse effluent, significantly inhibited the growth of Salmonella in milk, pork, and eggs, and effectively prevented and eradicated biofilms on food-contact surfaces. The absence of virulence and antibiotic resistance genes supported its suitability as a food-grade biocontrol agent.

Why Middle Managers Hold the Key to Food Safety

Fri, 10 Apr 2026 00:00:00 -0400

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

FDA to Hold Town Halls on Food Traceability Rule Implementation

Thu, 09 Apr 2026 15:19:14 -0400

Registration is now open for the virtual meetings on FSMA 204, which will be jointly hosted with the Partnership for Food Traceability. FDA is interested in hearing stakeholder feedback on lot-level traceability efforts, industry challenges, and potential solutions.

AI-Powered Platform Offers Real-Time, End-to-End Visibility for Manufacturers, Distributors

Thu, 09 Apr 2026 12:35:59 -0400

Peak Automation Intelligence by Peak Technologies uses machine vision, smart optics, mobile computing, and unified analytics to provide an automated view of pallets and packages, material movement, and dock workflow.

EFSA Makes it Easier to Find and Use Food Safety Guidance Documents

Thu, 09 Apr 2026 11:57:00 -0400

EFSA has created new online portals where guidances are described and sorted for accessibility and ease of use by scientists, industry applicants, and other stakeholders. Additionally, future guidance documents will be developed following a new, standardized process.

Study Evaluates Pathogen Reductions on Microgreens Treated with UV-C

Thu, 09 Apr 2026 05:00:00 -0400

Although UV-C was effective against Salmonella, E. coli, and Listeria monocytogenes under most conditions, pathogen regrowth during refrigerated storage was significant. The findings suggest UV-C may be a useful post-harvest intervention when used in combination with other measures.

Global Survey Highlights Gaps and Opportunities in Food Safety Training

Wed, 08 Apr 2026 16:31:08 -0400

Campden BRI’s Ninth Global Food Safety Training Survey, conducted in collaboration with global certification bodies, revealed gaps in training practices, technology adoption, and program effectiveness across the food and beverage industry.

USDA Launches Searchable Guidance Portal

Wed, 08 Apr 2026 12:25:12 -0400

The portal contains guidance issued by USDA and its agencies.