Management

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.

Closing the Knowing–Doing Gap: Informal Training and Food Safety Outcomes

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

Formal food safety training builds essential knowledge, but informal, on-the-job learning may be key to turning that knowledge into consistent food safety practices.

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.

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.

Wherefour Updates ERP Platform for Manufacturers with AI Capabilities

Tue, 06 Oct 2026 12:59:09 -0400

The MCP Connector, Document Auto-Tagging, AI Control Points, and AI Test Definitions are now available to Wherefour customers.

A Potential Recall is on the Table—Now What? What the First 24 Hours Reveal About Strategic Communications

Tue, 06 Oct 2026 02:30:00 -0400

When a potential recall emerges, strategic communications can help organizations create clarity amid rapidly evolving information. Five key questions can help guide decision-making during the critical first 24 hours.

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.

Building Leadership Buy-In for Food Safety

Mon, 05 Oct 2026 02:30:00 -0400

Moving from compliance to capability requires more than training; it requires leadership buy-in that enables better food safety decisions under pressure.

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.

EFSA Outlines Scientific Needs for Regulatory Preparedness, Risk Assessment

Wed, 30 Sep 2026 09:57:35 -0400

A new paper outlines the scientific capabilities and investments that will be necessary to keep pace with food system innovation, emerging risks, and changing EU policy while supporting risk assessment. The paper will inform EFSA's forthcoming Strategy 2034.

From Farm to Threat: Integrating Biosurveillance, Biointelligence, and Biosecurity (B3) into the Food Safety Enterprise—Part 1

nortora@auburn.edu (Robert A. Norton Ph.D.) — Wed, 30 Sep 2026 00:00:00 -0400

This article introduces Auburn University’s AU-BISR System, which is governed by a unifying Biosurveillance, Biointelligence, and Biosecurity (B3) operational architecture. AU-BISR is a directly applicable early-warning architecture for the food system to prevent foodborne illnesses and recalls before they occur.

Prevention is Not Automatic: Building the Workforce Behind Food Safety

Fri, 25 Sep 2026 00:00:00 -0400

Foodborne illness prevention does not happen by chance. It depends on a workforce that is trained, credentialed, data-enabled, and supported by coordinated federal investment. These are the conditions that allow prevention to occur consistently across jurisdictions and over time—and current workforce research suggests each is under pressure.

FAO Outlines Risks of Plastic Pollution to Food Safety, Calls for One Health Policy Approach

Wed, 23 Sep 2026 05:00:00 -0400

A new FAO technical brief explains how plastic pollution moves through agrifood systems and creates interconnected risks to food safety and human, animal, plant, and environmental health.

AI in Food Safety and GMP Systems: Practical Applications, Limitations, and Compliance Considerations

Wed, 23 Sep 2026 00:00:00 -0400

The question is no longer whether AI will enter food safety and GMP environments; it already has. The more important question is how it can be used without weakening the controls on which these systems depend.

Corrective Actions as Preventive Intelligence: Embedding Root Cause Analysis Into Everyday Food Safety Management

Mon, 21 Sep 2026 05:30:00 -0400

Root cause analysis can turn routine food safety deviations into opportunities to identify systemic weaknesses, strengthen preventive controls, and reduce the likelihood of recurrence.

FAO Makes the Case for Strong Science, Clear Risk Communication for Food Safety Decision-Making

Fri, 18 Sep 2026 05:00:00 -0400

In a new publication, FAO authors argued that robust scientific evidence and clear risk communication are essential to effective food safety decision-making, and highlighted challenges posed by emerging technologies like AI, social media misinformation, and the framing of scientific information.

Food Safety Doctor Offers New Self-Paced Certificate Training Course for Food Industry Workers

Wed, 16 Sep 2026 15:43:35 -0400

The 60-slide course on food safety, personal hygiene, and Good Manufacturing Practices basics is designed to help food businesses efficiently meet FSMA training requirements for personnel involved in food production, packaging, and storage.

Penn State to Hold In-Person Food Safety and Sanitation Workshop for Industry Professionals

Wed, 16 Sep 2026 15:13:59 -0400

Taking place October 13–15, 2026 in State College, Pennsylvania, the opportunity is geared toward those developing in-house food safety programs who want to enhance their knowledge of the science and technology of cleaning, sanitizing, and pest control.

Penn State Extension to Hold FSMA Training Series for Pennsylvania Growers in 2027

Wed, 16 Sep 2026 12:25:48 -0400

Penn State Extension will offer a series of in-person and virtual training sessions for Pennsylvania fruit and vegetable growers on the Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA) Produce Safety Rule (PSR), Good Agricultural Practices (GAPs), and the co-management of natural resources and food safety.

Building a HACCP Program: More Than the Seven Principles

rickstier4@aol.com (Richard F. Stier, M.S.) — Tue, 15 Sep 2026 10:00:00 -0400

Developing an effective HACCP program requires more than following the seven principles. Management commitment, document control, prerequisite programs, training, and other foundational elements are essential to building and maintaining a robust HACCP system.

Food Safety Five Ep. 37: Sanitizer Spray Efficacy, ROI of WGS, Emulsifier Health Effects, and More

hendersonb@bnpmedia.com (Bailee Henderson) — Tue, 15 Sep 2026 02:30:00 -0400

This episode of Food Safety Five covers new research on the impact of spray application on sanitizer efficacy, ROI of WGS for foodborne pathogen surveillance, effect of common food additives on gut health and implications for safety assessment, and contribution of industrial poultry farming to global Campylobacter spread.

German Officials Publish Guidance on Risk Assessment of Non-Intentionally Added Substances in Food Contact Materials

Mon, 14 Sep 2026 09:59:53 -0400

The resource outlines the German Federal Institute for Risk Assessment’s (BfR’s) approach to risk assessment of NIAS in FCMs. It is primarily intended to support dossiers for new substances in Germany.

Unpacking the 2026 Recall Landscape and Preparing for Q4

Mon, 14 Sep 2026 07:00:00 -0400

Recall activity in 2026 is sending a clear message that the industry is not facing isolated failures, but rather recurring breakdowns in the systems designed to prevent them. Manufacturers must prioritize four critical areas to minimize the risk of product contamination and recalls heading into 2027.

Cyclospora Outbreak Linked to Taylor Farms Lettuce Ends with Nearly 13,000 Illnesses, Two Deaths

hendersonb@bnpmedia.com (Bailee Henderson) — Fri, 11 Sep 2026 12:34:14 -0400

CDC has declared the unprecedented Cyclospora outbreak linked to Taylor Farms iceberg lettuce over. FDA continues its root cause investigation of the current outbreak as well as investigations into other U.S. cyclosporiasis outbreak clusters.

We Taught It. But Can They Use It?

Fri, 11 Sep 2026 10:00:00 -0400

Food safety education must move beyond delivering knowledge to give learners opportunities to practice applying what they know.

Fundamental Beliefs as Underlying Risk Catalyst in High-Velocity Food Manufacturing

Fri, 11 Sep 2026 00:00:00 -0400

This article focuses on two main questions: first, why do food safety failures persist in high-velocity manufacturing settings despite the presence of comprehensive technical controls? And secondly, how do organizational beliefs and governance models influence ongoing risk exposure in these environments?

Global Study Quantifies Pathogen Prevalence in Traditional Food Markets; Seafood Showed Greatest Contamination

Thu, 10 Sep 2026 05:00:00 -0400

Based on an analysis of 2.8 million samples collected in 41 countries over 25 years, the global pooled prevalence of foodborne and zoonotic bacteria, viruses, and parasites was 15 percent.

Ep. 225. Yasuda, Boeffard, Boyce: The Stop Alliance Mentorship Program: Lessons Learned and Collaborations Shared

Tue, 08 Sep 2026 02:30:00 -0400

In this episode of Food Safety Matters, we discuss the Alliance to Stop Foodborne Illness Mentorship Program and its role in supporting professional growth in food safety, including lessons from the mentor-mentee experience, the value of perspectives outside one's own organization, and how mentorship can strengthen leadership, communication, and collaboration across the profession.

University of Delaware’s Produce Safety Alliance Training Addresses On-Farm Microbial Risks Like Cyclospora

Thu, 03 Sep 2026 12:11:53 -0400

The UD College of Agriculture and Natural Resources and UD Cooperative Extension offer Produce Safety Alliance Training at least three times a year, with the next course slated for winter 2026–2027.

UK Food Safety Research Network Offers New Funding Opportunity for AI-Focused Projects

Wed, 02 Sep 2026 09:17:14 -0400

The FSRN Pilots Award is a rapid call for relevant short-term projects with funding needs from £2,000 to £10,000. Cross-sector and cross-disciplinary projects are encouraged.