Food Safety Magazine

Better Use of Restaurant Inspection Data Could Help Prevent Foodborne Illness Outbreaks

Wed, 13 May 2026 05:00:00 -0400

In a new peer-reviewed article, researchers make a case for linking data from both routine foodservice establishment inspections and foodborne illness surveillance, while acknowledging existing challenges, like inconsistent adoption of FDA’s Food Code and electronic data collection systems.

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

Wed, 13 May 2026 00:00:00 -0400

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.

FDA Commissioner Steps Down, To Be Replaced by Agency’s Human Foods Leader

Tue, 12 May 2026 14:15:50 -0400

Marty Makary, M.D., has been ousted as FDA Commissioner. He will reportedly be replaced by the agency’s Deputy Commissioner for Human Foods, Kyle Diamantas, J.D.

FDA Finalizes Systematic Post-Market Food Chemical Review Process

Tue, 12 May 2026 12:55:16 -0400

The agency also announced the launch of reassessments for butylated hydroxytoluene (BHT) and azodicarbonamide (ADA).

Report: ‘Ultra-Processed’ Classification Does Not Reliably Indicate Nutritional Value

Tue, 12 May 2026 05:00:00 -0400

However, ultra-processed foods were consistently more affordable and dominated total U.S. grocery sales. The report, commissioned by IFIC, suggests that dietary recommendations and discussions about UPFs must be grounded in real-world consumer behavior, rather than treating these products as easily avoidable, and consider nutritional value.

Ep. 217. Larry Keener: Learnings From an Award-Winning Career in Food Safety

Tue, 12 May 2026 02:30:00 -0400

In this episode of Food Safety Matters, we speak to internationally regarded microbiologist and process authority—and Food Safety Magazine’s 2026 Distinguished Award Recipient—Larry Keener, about the highlights of his career, important food safety developments, and advice for early-career professionals.

Flowers for the Heroes in Hairnets: Boosting the Profession of Food Safety

Mon, 11 May 2026 05:30:00 -0400

Food safety professionals need better PR, not only to give credit where credit is due but also to ensure that a consistent stream of young talent is entering and innovating in the field.

Australia, New Zealand Consider Mandatory Nutrition Star Ratings on Packaged Foods

Mon, 11 May 2026 05:00:00 -0400

FSANZ is accepting public comments on the proposed Health Star Rating, which is an interpretive front-of-pack nutrition labeling tool that summarizes a food’s overall nutritional profile using a simple star rating.

Power-Assisted Cleaning Supports Efficiency in Food Production

Mon, 11 May 2026 00:00:00 -0400

Sanitation teams in food production facilities must remove stubborn residues while meeting strict hygiene requirements and maintaining production timelines.

THAIFEX—ANUGA ASIA 2026 Boasts 3,600 Exhibitors from 56 Countries

Fri, 08 May 2026 17:06:07 -0400

The global food and beverage trade exhibition will take place on May 26–30 at IMPACT Muang Thong Thani, Bangkok, under the theme “BIGGER, BETTER, BOLDER,” welcoming food buyers and importers from more than 130 countries worldwide.

Scientists Tackle Food Waste with More Accurate ‘Sell By’ Dates Based on Meat Microbial Activity

Fri, 08 May 2026 05:00:00 -0400

Consumers often throw away meat that is still safe to eat based on the “sell by” date. Auburn University researchers are investigating methods to predict meat spoilage based on microbial activity, which would enable more accurate “sell by” dates.

New USDA Dietary Guidelines with a Focus on Food Packaging

Fri, 08 May 2026 00:00:00 -0400

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.

Parts Town Enhances Digital Tools to Help Foodservice Industry Find Equipment Repair Parts

Thu, 07 May 2026 13:42:04 -0400

The PartPredictor tool and other digital resources offered by Parts Town have been updated to better help foodservice industry users find the right Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM) parts, improve first-time fix rates, and reduce equipment downtime.

FAIR Labels Act Would Restrict Language Used on Cell-Based, Plant-Based Meat Products

Thu, 07 May 2026 13:18:58 -0400

The bipartisan bill would prohibit the sale of “mislabeled” alternative protein products, requiring such products to bear “accurate” labels that clearly differentiate them from conventional meat and poultry.

Updated EU Food Chemical Safety Information Database Now Available

Thu, 07 May 2026 11:57:08 -0400

Drawing from EFSA risk assessments, OpenFoodTox provides structured summaries of hazard information for thousands of individual substances, including food additives and flavorings, pesticides, contaminants, and food contact materials.

New Mexico Bans ‘Forever Chemicals’ in Food Packaging, Cookware; Sets PFAS Labeling Rules

Thu, 07 May 2026 09:15:56 -0400

New Mexico has published a final rule enforcing the New Mexico PFAS Protection Act, outlining a staggered prohibition on the sale of products containing intentionally added PFAS, and describing a PFAS warning label for products still containing the chemicals.

eBook | Strengthening Company Culture to Drive Food Safety Performance

Thu, 07 May 2026 01:00:00 -0400

Realizing measurable improvement in food safety performance rests largely on the culture of your company. Dedicated investment in optimizing your organization's food safety culture—from the boardroom to the warehouse, and throughout your entire supply chain—offers significant returns in the form of regulatory compliance, mitigated recall risk, enhanced consumer trust, and a more skilled and invested workforce.

FDA Launches One-Day Inspectional Assessments

Wed, 06 May 2026 12:44:25 -0400

Piloting of these assessments began in April and will continue through fiscal year 2026 at facilities across FDA inspectorates, including human and animal foods. The assessments are short, focused screening assignments that complement standard FDA inspections.

Europeans Exposed to High Doses of Glycerol in Drinks, EFSA Recommends Setting Limits

Wed, 06 May 2026 05:00:00 -0400

EFSA conducted an acute exposure assessment for glycerol in slushies and dealcoholized wine following reports of toddlers and young children experiencing glycerol intoxication due to excessive slushie consumption in a single sitting.

USDA-FSIS Publishes Revised Food Safety Guideline for Egg Products

Tue, 05 May 2026 12:46:17 -0400

The guideline is designed to help small and very small plants producing egg products meet the regulatory requirements under the Egg Products Inspection Regulations Final Rule, including sanitation and HACCP requirements.

SecureFood School: Transforming Food System Risk Science into Real-World Education

Tue, 05 May 2026 10:00:00 -0400

Strengthening food system resilience requires not only technological innovation, but also an improved societal understanding of food system dynamics and risks.

PSB Industries Introduces Oxygen Removal CO2 System

Tue, 05 May 2026 08:39:27 -0400

The solution is relevant to the food and beverage industry, where ultra-high-purity carbon dioxide is required for carbonation, packaging, and preservation processes.

Monitoring Data Show EU Food Mostly Compliant with Pesticide Limits

Tue, 05 May 2026 08:31:37 -0400

Based on the results of testing more than 125,000 food samples collected across Europe, compliance with EU pesticide maximum residue levels remains high, reported the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA).

Food Safety Five Ep. 31: Rare, Unusual, and Emerging Foodborne Pathogens of Growing Concern

Tue, 05 May 2026 05:30:00 -0400

This episode of Food Safety Five discusses several foodborne pathogens that have been recently highlighted by researchers due to their unusual nature, emergence, and increasing public health significance, including a rare Salmonella strain, an STEC/ETEC hybrid, Group B Streptococcus, and drug-resistant Shigella.

Agralink Expands Poultry Farm Monitoring System

Mon, 04 May 2026 13:12:06 -0400

Agralarm’s newly released features include water meter monitoring, smarter dry contact sensor capabilities, scheduled reporting, and custom call lists.

Australia to Develop Foodborne Campylobacter Action Plan

Mon, 04 May 2026 10:34:07 -0400

The action plan would outline strategies to mitigate Campylobacter and reduce cases of foodborne illness. Those who are interested in contributing to the development of the action plan are invited to register to receive communications about stakeholder engagement.

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

Mon, 04 May 2026 00:00:00 -0400

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

Aldi's Decision to Ban 44 Food Additives Gets Ahead of Regulatory Uncertainty

Fri, 01 May 2026 12:39:08 -0400

Responding to growing consumer and regulatory demand for “natural” foods, the decision builds on Aldi’s removal of 13 synthetic colorants from its portfolio more than ten years ago. The grocer announced this ban while Congress, states, and industry debate ingredient oversight.

NASEM Seeks Experts for Membership in Food Forum

Fri, 01 May 2026 05:30:00 -0400

The National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine’s (NASEM’s) Food Forum convenes scientists, administrators, and policymakers to explore issues and solutions related to food safety, regulation, and systems, as well as nutrition and health.

Study Links Pesticide Exposure to 150 Percent Higher Cancer Risk, Identifies Biological Mechanisms

Fri, 01 May 2026 05:00:00 -0400

The findings, based on a novel approach and published in Nature Health, suggest that traditional chemical safety assessments may overlook combined exposures and real-life environmental conditions. Transcriptomic analysis implicated a non-genotoxic mode of action by which pesticides interfere with normal cell function and identity processes.