News

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

hendersonb@bnpmedia.com (Bailee Henderson) — 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.

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

hendersonb@bnpmedia.com (Bailee Henderson) — 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.

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.

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.

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

hendersonb@bnpmedia.com (Bailee Henderson) — 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.

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.

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

hendersonb@bnpmedia.com (Bailee Henderson) — 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.

Australia to Develop Foodborne Campylobacter Action Plan

hendersonb@bnpmedia.com (Bailee Henderson) — 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.

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

hendersonb@bnpmedia.com (Bailee Henderson) — 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

hendersonb@bnpmedia.com (Bailee Henderson) — 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.

Raw Farm E. coli Outbreak Ends; Congress Questions Why FDA Never Used Mandatory Recall Authority

hendersonb@bnpmedia.com (Bailee Henderson) — Thu, 30 Apr 2026 12:45:29 -0400

The E. coli outbreak involving Raw Farm unpasteurized dairy products has ended with one raw cheese sample matching isolates from a different 2025 outbreak. In an April 29 hearing, Congresspeople questioned whether U.S. Health Secretary Kennedy influenced FDA’s failure to mandate a recall.

Survey of U.S. Food Handlers Reveals Food Safety Knowledge Strengths, Opportunities to Improve Training

hendersonb@bnpmedia.com (Bailee Henderson) — Thu, 30 Apr 2026 11:56:04 -0400

Conducted by NEHA and FDA, a survey of more than 2,700 retail food handlers has revealed strong food safety knowledge overall, with room for improvement in certain areas. The findings support recommendations for enhancing training programs.

Results of Pilot for EU Food Additives Exposure Monitoring Program Published

Thu, 30 Apr 2026 05:00:00 -0400

None of the exposures to the five additives and flavorings assessed presented a health concern for the EU population. The pilot helped identify shortcomings in the monitoring framework that will be rectified for future reports.

Federal Preemption of State Food Safety Laws Debated During Congressional Hearing

hendersonb@bnpmedia.com (Bailee Henderson) — Wed, 29 Apr 2026 17:42:08 -0400

In an April 29 Congressional hearing considering 28 active food safety bills, U.S. Representatives and witnesses from industry and consumer protection groups debated federal preemption of state food safety laws, GRAS and chemical ingredient oversight, and FDA–state information-sharing during outbreaks.

FDA Testing Shows U.S. Infant Formula is Safe, with Undetectable or Very Low Chemical Contamination

Wed, 29 Apr 2026 12:00:39 -0400

Samples were tested for arsenic, cadmium, lead, mercury, PFAS, pesticides, and phthalates/plasticizers. When toxic heavy metals were detected in some samples, it was at levels far below EPA drinking water limits.

WHO Estimates a $46 Return for Every $1 Investment in National Foodborne Disease Surveillance

hendersonb@bnpmedia.com (Bailee Henderson) — Wed, 29 Apr 2026 05:00:00 -0400

Improvements in national food safety infrastructure by the 17 countries included in the analysis would cost an estimated $492 million USD over ten years, but would avert 19 million cases of foodborne illness and 13,000 associated deaths, generating a value of $23 billion.

EU Introduces Regulations for Crops Bred Through New Genomic Techniques

Tue, 28 Apr 2026 11:50:41 -0400

According to the European Commission, NGTs have the potential to contribute to sustainable agri-food systems and help respond to food security challenges. The new rules would separate plants developed through NGTs from legislation applying to GMOs.

Bill Reintroduced to Allow FDA to Share Information with State Agencies During Foodborne Illness Outbreaks

Tue, 28 Apr 2026 08:29:48 -0400

The Federal and State Food Safety Information Sharing Act of 2026 would give FDA the authority to share information with state and local regulatory agencies with shared responsibility for protecting public health.

Study Finds Cold Plasma Treatment Reduces Peanut Allergenicity

Mon, 27 Apr 2026 10:57:02 -0400

The researchers believe that the approach could be applied to reduce the allergenicity of other foods while maintaining functional properties.

Saudi FDA Advances Global Food Safety Cooperation at IHFAF

Mon, 27 Apr 2026 09:28:08 -0400

The Seventh Annual Meeting of the International Heads of Food Agencies Forum (IHFAF), a summit convening the heads of international food safety agencies and senior representatives from the Codex Alimentarius Commission, concluded in Auckland, New Zealand, on April 24.

FRESH Act Aims to Preempt State Food Safety Laws, Proposes Controversial GRAS Reforms

hendersonb@bnpmedia.com (Bailee Henderson) — Fri, 24 Apr 2026 14:54:15 -0400

The draft bill proposes sweeping reforms to FDA’s food safety oversight, including GRAS process changes, infant and baby food safety provisions, and federal preemption of state laws. Consumer groups say the FRESH Act’s GRAS reforms and federal preemption language would weaken U.S. food safety.

Bill Reintroduced to Overhaul Front-of-Pack Food Labels, Ingredients Lists

Fri, 24 Apr 2026 09:06:52 -0400

Among other provisions, the Food Labeling Modernization Act would set conditions for the use of the terms “natural” and “healthy,” expedite the creation of a front-of-pack nutrition labeling system, and improve ingredient list readability.