Food Safety Magazine

Mettler Toledo Launches AI-Enabled X-Ray Inspection System for Packaged Foods

Fri, 17 Jul 2026 11:52:25 -0400

The X56 DXD+ is a dual-energy photon-counting X-ray inspection system designed for improved detection of low-density physical contaminants in complex packaged food applications.

Vietnam Orders Stronger Food Safety Enforcement After Rise in Foodborne Illness

Fri, 17 Jul 2026 10:50:29 -0400

The country has seen a 66 percent increase in food poisoning incidents during the first half of 2026, compared to the same period in 2025, including 12 events in school cafeterias. Top officials have ordered relevant state departments to take specific actions to improve oversight.

FDA Says a Taco Bell Iceberg Lettuce Supplier is Source of Five-State Cyclosporiasis Outbreak

Fri, 17 Jul 2026 08:08:21 -0400

The outbreak cluster includes more than 1,600 people in Indiana, Kentucky, Michigan, Ohio, and West Virginia. Outside of the outbreak cluster, Michigan and other parts of the U.S. continue to experience elevated rates of Cyclospora infections compared to previous years.

FAO/WHO Experts Recommend Updating Codex Powdered Infant Formula Guidance to Consider Clostridia, B. cereus

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

JEMRA convened in June to review the latest scientific evidence on microbiological hazards that have recently been associated with public health events due to the contamination of powdered infant formula or its ingredients.

FDA Outlines Four Public Health Pillars, Reaffirms Food Priorities

Thu, 16 Jul 2026 16:34:07 -0400

Food-related priorities under the four pillars include post-market ingredient safety reviews, GRAS reform, food labeling modernization, and reducing dietary exposure to contaminants like toxic heavy metals.

How the U.S. Cyclospora Outbreak Reflects a Strained National Foodborne Illness Surveillance System

Thu, 16 Jul 2026 15:51:21 -0400

Public health experts say the ongoing cyclosporiasis situation exposes growing weaknesses in national foodborne illness surveillance, highlighting how funding and program cuts and CDC staff attrition could undermine outbreak detection and delay response, affecting public health communication and consumer confidence in food safety.

Senator Klobuchar Urges CDC, FDA to Restore Food Safety Programs Amid Cyclosporiasis Outbreak

Thu, 16 Jul 2026 15:27:35 -0400

In a letter, Senator Amy Klobuchar urged CDC and FDA to fully restore food safety programs that have been affected under the Trump Administration and continue supporting state public health agencies with the resources needed to detect, investigate, and respond to foodborne illness outbreaks.

U.S. Physicians Urge Regulatory Reform of FDA Dietary Supplement Oversight

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

Because dietary supplements are regulated by FDA as a subcategory of food, manufacturers are generally not required to demonstrate their safety or efficacy for pre-market approval. The American College of Physicians argues this allows adulterated and mislabeled products to enter the market.

Tetra Pak, Axis Introduce Video Monitoring System for Ice Cream Production

Wed, 15 Jul 2026 13:20:35 -0400

The Ice Cream Video Care system uses network cameras as sensors to monitor production processes, enabling operators to remotely inspect equipment and production areas, continuously and in real time.

CDC Reports Up to 7,000 Cyclosporiasis Cases Across U.S., Identifies Large Midwestern Outbreak Cluster

Wed, 15 Jul 2026 08:57:35 -0400

More than 400 cases in Michigan, Ohio, Kentucky, and West Virginia appear to be epidemiologically linked, although a food source has not been confirmed. Michigan alone reports more than 3,300 Cyclospora infections.

Study: E. coli in Lettuce Growing Environment Have Stress Adaptation Traits Enabling Farm-to-Fork Persistence

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

The co-occurrence of biofilm formation, acid tolerance, and antimicrobial resistance genes in E. coli isolated from irrigation water, soil, and crops could complicate downstream microbial control efforts in produce production systems.

Lifecycle Assessment in Food Packaging: What Food Industry Professionals Need to Know

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

This article details how to conduct a lifecycle assessment for food packaging.

SPG Launches FoodProtect Series of Cutting Tools for Food Processing Facilities

Tue, 14 Jul 2026 14:07:54 -0400

The system offers cutting tools intended to help manage biological, chemical, and physical contamination risks associated with routine cutting tasks.

Cyan Analytics Launches Seafood Traceability Platform

Tue, 14 Jul 2026 13:57:47 -0400

SeaTrace was developed to help seafood businesses capture and manage traceability information from harvest through export.

MycoTechnology, Adorvia Partner on Reduced-Sugar Ingredient Solutions

Tue, 14 Jul 2026 10:23:54 -0400

The companies will combine their scientific and formulation expertise to optimize sweetener blends for food.

USDA, HHS, EPA Reaffirm Collaboration to Tackle Chemical Contaminants in Food

Tue, 14 Jul 2026 05:00:41 -0400

The Memorandum of Understanding expands interagency collaboration on food contaminant monitoring, including for toxic heavy metals and per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), under the National Residue Program.

Ep. 221. Dr. Alex LeBeau: The Science Behind Food Contaminant Testing

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

In this episode of Food Safety Matters, we speak to exposure scientist and toxicologist Dr. Alex LeBeau about the generation, interpretation, and responsible communication of food contaminant testing data—a conversation raised by recent reports on arsenic in candy from Florida officials.

Lower Regulatory Limits Prompt Innovation in PFAS Testing

Tue, 14 Jul 2026 00:00:00 -0400

As the world’s leading testing, inspection and certification company, SGS prides itself on establishing the global benchmark for sustainability, quality, and integrity.

Following Infant Formula Incidents, FDA Urges Manufacturers to Implement Stronger, Substantive Supplier Oversight

Mon, 13 Jul 2026 14:02:02 -0400

The letter to industry was issued in response to the botulism outbreaks linked to Nara Organics and ByHeart formulas, which identified Clostridia in the whole milk powder ingredient supply chain, as well as the global formula recall due to cereulide-contaminated arachidonic acid oil.

USDA-FSIS to Expand Testing for Metals in RTE Foods Under National Residue Program

Mon, 13 Jul 2026 10:49:27 -0400

Effective July 20, to support risk surveillance, the agency will perform metals analysis on samples that are already collected for allergen verification.

Cyclospora Cases Climb, But Actual Number Unclear as CDC Reporting Lags Behind States

Mon, 13 Jul 2026 08:21:08 -0400

Per CDC, 843 domestically acquired cyclosporiasis cases have been confirmed in 31 states, plus another 1,500 pending analysis. Michigan alone has reported more than 2,600 cases and is looking at lettuce as a potential vehicle of illness.

Consumer Reports Finds Inorganic Arsenic in All Rice Tested; Calls on FDA to Set Limits

Mon, 13 Jul 2026 05:15:43 -0400

The investigation analyzed 142 samples representing 52 rice products. Notably, 17 products contained average inorganic arsenic concentrations of at least 100 parts per billion. Rice type significantly influenced average concentrations.

Opinion: Why the Infant Formula Industry Must Embrace Innovation, Not Fear It

Mon, 13 Jul 2026 05:00:00 -0400

An industry that feeds babies must be an industry of absolute transparency. We have nothing to hide, and everything to protect.

UK FSA Finds Persisting Compliance Issues in Targeted Survey of Retail Foods

Fri, 10 Jul 2026 13:03:21 -0400

Overall, 72 percent of targeted surveillance samples were deemed satisfactory. FSA flagged imported, niche products, like Dubai-style chocolates, South Asian snacks, and ashwagandha supplements, as especially problematic.

UK FSA Publishes Guidances for Cell-Cultivated Food Producers

Fri, 10 Jul 2026 08:20:03 -0400

The resources were produced through the Cell-Cultivated Products Sandbox Program and cover hygiene requirements; identity, production, and microbiology; product applications; and novel food taste trials.

FPSA Launches Leadership Development Conference for Early- to Mid-Career Food Manufacturing Professionals

Fri, 10 Jul 2026 05:30:00 -0400

The inaugural “Cultivate: Leadership Growth Lab” will be held November 5–6, 2026, in Lexington, Kentucky. The two-day, collaborative event is designed to meet the food production sector’s need for leadership development.

JECFA Evaluates Safety of Certain Food Additives; Monk Fruit Presents Potential Concern

Fri, 10 Jul 2026 05:15:00 -0400

The 102^nd meeting of the Joint FAO/WHO Expert Committee on Food Additives (JECFA) took place in June 2026 in Nanjing, China. Key outcomes included the establishment of new, temporary acceptable daily intakes (ADIs) for two substances.

Shigella Vaccine Shows Promise in Phase 2 Clinical Trial

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

The vaccine provided 89 percent protection against S. sonnei infection compared with the placebo. Vaccinated participants also experienced less severe symptoms and lower levels of bacterial shedding. The vaccine is being developed as drug resistance among Shigella continues to increase.

When the Score Lies: A Call for Real Competence and Accountability

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

This article discusses high audit scores, catastrophic failures, and the new rule that would disqualify the person cleaning up the mess.

Carrier Transicold Launches Reefer Fleet Upgrade Program

Thu, 09 Jul 2026 14:11:07 -0400

Fleet Refresh allows refrigerated fleets to replace aging transport refrigeration units (TRUs) on existing trailers as an alternative to replacing entire trailers, which may reduce acquisition costs compared to a standard new TRU installation.