News

Study Reveals Bacillus cereus as Underrecognized Risk to Food Safety in Africa

Thu, 15 Oct 2026 05:00:00 -0400

The reviewed studies reported B. cereus contamination in different foods at rates ranging from approximately 15 percent to more than 70 percent. In a study focused on Burkina Faso, B. cereus was detected in 42 percent of tested infant cereals.

FDA Quietly Included Provision in GRAS Proposed Rule to Expand One ‘Loophole’ While Tightening Another

hendersonb@bnpmedia.com (Bailee Henderson) — Wed, 14 Oct 2026 14:20:23 -0400

The proposal would expand the Threshold of Regulation (TOR) exemption to include food additives and ingredients, which would allow chemicals to enter the U.S. food supply without oversight if they meet TOR criteria. TOR submissions only require minimal data rather than comprehensive safety evidence.

Pennsylvania Advances Bill That Would Set Limits on Heavy Metals in Baby Foods

Wed, 14 Oct 2026 12:48:32 -0400

The Baby Food Protection Act aims to set enforceable limits for total arsenic, lead, cadmium, and mercury, as well as a state testing program and labeling requirements for manufacturers.

Study Suggests Bleaching of Tree Nuts Produces Potentially Toxic Chemical Byproducts

Wed, 14 Oct 2026 05:00:00 -0400

Sodium hypochlorite (NaOCl), a chlorine-based chemical used to bleach tree nut shells for aesthetic purposes, can react with fatty acids in the edible kernels to form potentially harmful fatty acid chlorohydrins. Researchers called for further toxicological evaluation of these process contaminants.

Refrigerator Cyberattack at Hundreds of Stores in France, Other Countries Results in Mass Food Losses

hendersonb@bnpmedia.com (Bailee Henderson) — Tue, 13 Oct 2026 11:11:18 -0400

Hundreds of grocery stores in France were targeted by a cyberattack in which hackers raised fridge temperatures to as high as 50 °C (122 °F), leading to mass food spoilage and several fires. Some retailers in several other European countries were also hit.

Australia Approves Cell-Cultured Duck Ingredient

Tue, 13 Oct 2026 10:21:41 -0400

The Food Standards Australia New Zealand (FSANZ) Board approved an application to permit the use of cell-cultured duck biomass in combination with other ingredients to make products such as foie gras and pâté.

Survey of Low-Moisture Food Manufacturers Reveals Opportunities to Strengthen Dry Sanitation

Tue, 13 Oct 2026 05:00:00 -0400

Respondents generally reported sanitation practices intended to minimize water introduction, but opportunities remained to improve relative humidity management, standardize understanding of sanitation breaks, and better characterize the relationship between moisture management and microbial contamination risks.

American Academy of Pediatrics Endorses Raw Milk Ban as Children Continue to Fall Seriously Ill

hendersonb@bnpmedia.com (Bailee Henderson) — Mon, 12 Oct 2026 12:22:26 -0400

The policy statement comes as raw milk consumption rises in popularity due to high-profile individuals and influencers touting its purported health benefits, and in the wake of a highly publicized case of a California toddler who fell severely ill after being infected with E. coli from raw goat’s milk.

WHO, FAO Support Cross-Sector Food Safety Emergency Response in Africa, Middle East

Mon, 12 Oct 2026 08:43:07 -0400

WHO and FAO convened 352 participants from more than 40 countries to strengthen multisectoral food safety emergency response planning in Africa and the Middle East, covering emergencies like natural disasters, humanitarian emergencies, and food supply chain disruptions.

Review Examines Strategies for Reducing Nitrites, Nitrates in Processed Meats While Ensuring Microbial Safety

Mon, 12 Oct 2026 05:00:00 -0400

The researchers concluded that no single alternative currently fulfills all of the antimicrobial and technological functions provided by conventional nitrites and nitrates. Instead, they identified hurdle technology as the most promising approach.

With Cyclospora Lettuce Outbreak Over, Taylor Farms Speaks Up as FDA is Questioned

Fri, 09 Oct 2026 12:43:57 -0400

Taylor Farms outlined actions it is taking to enhance food safety following the historic cyclosporiasis outbreak linked to its lettuce. The same day, Consumer Reports sent a letter to FDA requesting answers about why its outbreak response was “hindered by notable delays and a lack of transparency.”

To Support Sodium Reduction Goals, FDA Amends SOIs for 139 Foods to Allow Salt Substitutes

Fri, 09 Oct 2026 10:16:02 -0400

A final rule now permits the use of salt substitutes in foods with standards of identity (SOI) that specify salt (sodium chloride) as a required or optional ingredient.

FAO Responds to Cyclospora Outbreak With Agrifood Water Safety Resource

Fri, 09 Oct 2026 05:15:00 -0400

Following the historically large cyclosporiasis outbreak linked to lettuce that swept the U.S. this summer, FAO highlighted the importance of pre-harvest water safety, sanitation, and hygiene to prevent microbial contamination of food in a new fact sheet resource.

Study Compares Pathogen Risks in Farmed, Wild-Caught Food Animals Sold in Traditional Markets

Fri, 09 Oct 2026 05:00:00 -0400

Contamination varied by pathogen, host species, and production conditions. The findings suggested that environmental and management conditions, rather than whether wildlife is farmed or wild-caught alone, likely influence zoonotic hazards.

Gallup Poll Shows Americans’ Confidence in Food Safety, Federal Oversight Hits Record Lows

Thu, 08 Oct 2026 14:09:28 -0400

Only 65 percent of U.S. adults said they were very or somewhat confident that food sold at most grocery stores is safe to eat. Confidence in the federal government's ability to ensure food safety also reached a new low, at 47 percent.

FDA Announces Food Traceability Rule Exemption for Certain Small Businesses, Considers Additional Flexibilities

Thu, 08 Oct 2026 12:44:38 -0400

Under the draft policy, FDA would not enforce requirements for retailers and restaurants selling less than $1 million worth of food in a three-year period. FDA will also hold a public meeting to discuss potential flexibilities related to Traceability Lot Codes, Key Data Elements, and other issues.

Researchers Raise Concerns About Multidrug-Resistant Campylobacter Circulating Across Sectors and Countries in Europe

Thu, 08 Oct 2026 05:00:00 -0400

An analysis of multinational WGS surveillance data suggests that a multidrug-resistant lineage of Campylobacter coli has circulated across human, animal, food, and environmental sources in Europe for years, highlighting the need for coordinated One Health genomic surveillance.

Antimicrobial Violet-Blue Light Shows Promise for Reducing Drug-Resistant Campylobacter on Poultry

Wed, 07 Oct 2026 02:30:42 -0400

At the highest tested dose, every isolate, even those exhibiting antimicrobial resistance (AMR), underwent at least a 2-log reduction in viable cells. Modeling suggested that such a reduction could decrease public health risk of infection by up to 90 percent.

FDA Responded to 26 Foodborne Illness Outbreaks in 2025

Tue, 06 Oct 2026 12:26:14 -0400

The latest Annual Report from the Office of Coordinated Outbreak Response, Evaluation, and Emergency Preparedness (CORE+EP) summarizes its response to outbreaks and adverse events associated with FDA-regulated human foods, and details notable incidents.

Experts Discuss Food Waste Prevention in Sustainable Packaging Design, Introduce Assessment Methodology

Tue, 06 Oct 2026 05:00:00 -0400

On the International Day of Awareness of Food Loss and Waste, WPO convened UNIDO, FSSC, and Wageningen University and Research to discuss the Sustainable Packaging Assessment Methodology (SusPAM) and explore how packaging decisions can protect food, help prevent avoidable loss, and support broader sustainability goals.

After 2025 ‘Radioactive Shrimp’ Incident, FDA Reports Indonesian Import Certification Program Now Up to Par

Mon, 05 Oct 2026 12:05:03 -0400

FDA found Indonesia’s Cs-137 import certification program for shrimp and spices, launched because cesium-contaminated shipments of shrimp and spices were detected in the U.S., “substantially meets requirements” after the certifying entities corrected deficiencies identified through an in-country assessment.

Study Reveals Industry Barriers to Food Safety Data-Sharing; Governance Raised as Potential Solution

Mon, 05 Oct 2026 09:36:50 -0400

Food industry leaders shared that they recognize the potential benefits of pooling confidential food safety data, such as strengthening predictive modeling and enabling earlier identification of emerging risks, but concerns about trust, liability, confidentiality, and competitive disadvantage continue to hinder data-sharing.

FDA Closes Taylor Farms Lettuce Investigation, Announces Action Plan to Prevent Future Cyclospora Outbreaks

Fri, 02 Oct 2026 15:56:13 -0400

Positive environmental samples were found on a farm and at a Taylor Farms of Mexico processing facility, which supplied the implicated lettuce distributed by Taylor Fresh Foods. The root cause of contamination was not found, however. FDA also announced ten actions to prevent future cyclosporiasis outbreaks.

EU-Funded Project to Develop Novel Technologies for Continuous Microbial Monitoring in Poultry Supply Chain

Fri, 02 Oct 2026 09:57:23 -0400

The Sensor4Food research project will develop five photonic sensing technologies intended to identify pathogenic contamination, animal disease, and meat quality issues at critical points in poultry production, possibly supporting a digital “poultry passport” to link information about poultry production, transport, welfare, and processing.

UK Publishes Guidance for Cell-Based Food Producers on Regulatory Authorization, Growth Media Safety

Fri, 02 Oct 2026 09:04:56 -0400

Published by the UK Food Standards Agency and Food Standards Scotland, this is the third package of guidance for businesses developing cell-cultivated food products, produced by the ongoing Cell-Cultivated Products Sandbox Program.

Countries Across the Americas Adopt Five-Year Food Safety Strategy to Reduce Foodborne Disease

Fri, 02 Oct 2026 05:00:00 -0400

Adopted by the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO), the strategy sets goals to increase the number of countries in the region conducting foodborne illness surveillance, making food safety decisions informed by risk assessments, and participating in regional cooperation and coordination.

California Enacts Law to Track Use of PFAS Pesticides

Thu, 01 Oct 2026 13:07:45 -0400

AB 1603 requires the California Department of Pesticide Regulation to indicate when pesticides contain PFAS ingredients in its online database and include use trends in annual reports.

Sweden Conducted More Food Inspections in 2025, but Inconsistencies Remain

Thu, 01 Oct 2026 02:30:00 -0400

The Swedish Food Agency published its annual report on food controls for 2025, which noted an increase in the number of food inspections from the previous year, but also noted areas for improvement.

FDA Reports High Levels of Compliance with Pesticide Limits in Food for FY 2024

Wed, 30 Sep 2026 11:09:28 -0400

FDA published its annual Pesticide Residue Monitoring Program Report for Fiscal Year 2024, finding that pesticide chemical residues measured in the U.S. food supply were generally in compliance with EPA tolerances.

EFSA Announces 2027 Conference

Wed, 30 Sep 2026 10:00:03 -0400

The Safe Food, One Future Conference, taking place in Parma, Italy in the fall, will mark the European Food Safety Authority’s (EFSA’s) 25^th anniversary and the launch of its new Strategy 2034.