Management

Why Middle Managers Hold the Key to Food Safety

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

This article discusses how the overlooked sub-group of middle management plays a large part in determining culture, execution, and risk performance.

Global Survey Highlights Gaps and Opportunities in Food Safety Training

Wed, 08 Apr 2026 16:31:08 -0400

Campden BRI’s Ninth Global Food Safety Training Survey, conducted in collaboration with global certification bodies, revealed gaps in training practices, technology adoption, and program effectiveness across the food and beverage industry.

The Invisible Plant Tax Starts with Your Records

Wed, 08 Apr 2026 00:00:00 -0400

Most food manufacturers know that documentation matters. Few have stopped to calculate what poor documentation is costing them—in time, in audit exposure, and in the operational intelligence they can't yet use.

Monitoring and Recordkeeping: The Heart of HACCP

rickstier4@aol.com (Richard F. Stier, M.S.) — Tue, 07 Apr 2026 10:00:00 -0400

Monitoring and recordkeeping are the heart of HACCP. Records demonstrate that the program is being properly managed and that the established critical limits are being met, providing supporting data to show that the processor is producing safe foods.

Stop Foodborne Illness, FDA to Host ‘Culture Change Carnival’ Webinar in April

Mon, 06 Apr 2026 15:34:30 -0400

The free event is open to the public and is the fifth installment in the joint multi-part webinar series focused on advancing food safety culture.

Raw Farm Recalls Unpasteurized Cheese While Denying Link to E. coli Outbreak

Fri, 03 Apr 2026 11:28:14 -0400

The company says the recall is being issued “under protest” and “as a path forward,” while continuing to contest the epidemiological evidence provided by FDA.

Codex Committee Advances Work on Standards for Veterinary Drug Residues in Food

Fri, 03 Apr 2026 05:00:00 -0400

The 28^th session of the Codex Committee on Residues of Veterinary Drugs in Foods made advances related to maximum residue limits (MRLs), extrapolation approaches, and risk management guidance, with several measures forwarded to the Codex Alimentarius Commission for adoption.

Drug-Resistant Salmonella Outbreak Linked to Moringa Supplements Ends, Root Cause Remains Unknown

Wed, 01 Apr 2026 16:09:57 -0400

Although FDA was unable to find a cause of contamination, a single supplier of the contaminated moringa powder was identified. Affected products, which were sold under the Rosabella brand and distributed by Ambrosia Brands LLC, have been recalled.

EU Seeks Feedback on Data Requirements for Safety Assessment of Bisphenols in FCMs

Mon, 30 Mar 2026 05:00:00 -0400

Following the EU ban on BPA in food contact materials (FCMs), which specified FCM manufacturing applications where other “hazardous” bisphenols may be used, EFSA issued a draft statement on related safety data requirements.

GFSI Unveils Updated Food Safety Culture Framework

Fri, 27 Mar 2026 10:33:05 -0400

The second edition seeks to bridge the gap between food safety culture in theory and in practice by equipping the global food industry with a multidimensional model that can be used to transform cultural intention into consistent, measurable food safety performance.

Leveraging AI for Food Safety Without Becoming its Victim

nortora@auburn.edu (Robert A. Norton Ph.D.) — Fri, 27 Mar 2026 00:00:00 -0400

This article examines the need to always engage subject matter experts in the analysis of AI results for food safety in the context of biosurveillance and cognitive security.

Huub Lelieveld Awarded 2026 World Food Prize for Global Food Safety Leadership

Thu, 26 Mar 2026 11:48:51 -0400

With a six-decade career that includes founding the Global Harmonization Initiative, Mr. Lelieveld was formerly a longtime member of Food Safety Magazine's (FSM’s) Editorial Advisory Board and a past recipient of the FSM Distinguished Service Award.

FAO/WHO Experts Evaluate Omics Technologies for Microbiological Risk Assessment

Wed, 25 Mar 2026 05:15:00 -0400

A JEMRA meeting was convened to help inform discussions about potential updates to Codex Alimentarius guidance, reflecting how scientific advances could strengthen microbiological risk assessments for food safety.

Poultry Industry Launches Pre-Competitive Food Safety Forum

Wed, 25 Mar 2026 05:00:00 -0400

The Poultry Industry Food Safety Council (PIFSCo) will take an all-of-industry approach to identifying research priorities, sharing practical solutions, and promoting continuous food safety improvement.

EU Research Projects to Host Joint Webinar on Threats to Food Safety, Security

Tue, 24 Mar 2026 15:45:57 -0400

The free virtual event will take place on March 31 and will feature four European research and innovation initiatives to discuss how food security can be safeguarded by addressing fraud, crises, cyber threats, and chemical, biological and radiological (CBR) hazards across the food supply chain.

EWG Publishes 2026 ‘Dirty Dozen’ List of ‘Pesticide-Contaminated’ Produce—but is it Scientifically Sound?

hendersonb@bnpmedia.com (Bailee Henderson) — Tue, 24 Mar 2026 07:00:00 -0400

The Environmental Working Group’s 2026 Shopper’s Guide to Pesticides in Produce highlights PFAS pesticides for the first time. Although EWG recently updated its methodology, scientists argue it still does not consider key exposure science and risk assessment principles, therefore misleading consumers about the health risks of conventionally grown produce.

Ep. 214. Chris McGarvey: UK/EU Food Regulatory Changes on the Horizon

Tue, 24 Mar 2026 02:30:00 -0400

In this episode of Food Safety Matters, we speak to UK food law expert Chris McGarvey about the implications of dynamic UK/EU regulatory trends and how businesses can navigate changing legislation related to trade, food substances, novel foods and technologies, and allergen labeling.

Study: Intensified Sampling Yields Limited Food Safety Benefits, Significant Cost and Sustainability Impacts

hendersonb@bnpmedia.com (Bailee Henderson) — Mon, 23 Mar 2026 11:09:48 -0400

Researchers developed a quantitative microbiological risk assessment (QMRA) framework that evaluates the public health, environmental, and economic trade-offs of microbiological sampling plans. They suggested microbiological sampling may be most useful when risk-based or as a verification tool.

Amid E. coli Outbreak, Congress Urges FDA to Mandate Raw Cheese Recall

hendersonb@bnpmedia.com (Bailee Henderson) — Mon, 23 Mar 2026 10:27:00 -0400

“If mandatory authority needs to be strengthened, the Food Safety Caucus stands ready to tackle this issue at FDA’s request,” wrote Congress members in a statement about the ongoing E. coli outbreak involving Raw Farm raw cheese products. Raw Farm has so far refused to recall.

The Connection Between Psychosocial Factors and Food Safety Outcomes

Mon, 23 Mar 2026 00:00:00 -0400

This article explores the psychosocial factors of food safety culture, as discussed in a food safety culture workshop at the 2025 Food Safety Summit.

National Officials Publish Analysis of Netherlands' Largest-Ever Salmonella Enteritidis Outbreak

Fri, 20 Mar 2026 05:00:00 -0400

A key cause of the outbreak was determined to be contaminated eggshells used in poultry feed. Cross-sector collaboration and data-sharing were instrumental in solving the investigation.

The High Costs of Saving Money: How Overzealous Capital Controls Undermine Food Safety, Worker Safety, and Plant Performance

Fri, 20 Mar 2026 00:00:00 -0400

There are technical, economic, and human costs of deferred capital for food safety. Recent legislation provides new tax levers that can change how ROI is calculated. If leadership does not adapt, the result will be more recalls, more injuries, and more brand damage—costing more than a lower capital spend.

144 Illnesses Potentially Linked to Global Cereulide-Contaminated Infant Formula Incident, WHO Reports

Thu, 19 Mar 2026 09:28:43 -0400

WHO assessed the overall public health risk as “moderate,” citing the vulnerability of infants, uncertainty around the extent of contamination, and gaps in surveillance and traceability.

Researchers Analyze Garlic Microbiome to Detect Food Fraud with 90 Percent Accuracy

Thu, 19 Mar 2026 05:30:00 -0400

Garlic carries a distinct bacterial signature reflective of the soil in which it was grown, enabling geographic identification based on microbial composition. A novel method using microbiome data and AI analysis potentially offers a low-cost authentication technique.

Researchers Urge Moving Away From ‘Zero-Risk’ Food Safety Mentality, Toward Consideration of Sustainability Trade-Offs

Thu, 19 Mar 2026 05:00:00 -0400

Controls based on overly sensitive detection methods and focused on single outcomes may introduce unintended environmental and economic consequences. The researchers advocate for the holistic evaluation of food safety and sustainability risks within a “One Health” framework.

FDA Withdraws COVID-Era Temporary Guidances for Onsite Visits Under FSMA

Wed, 18 Mar 2026 11:51:25 -0400

As COVID-19 no longer significantly impacts travel, FDA believes the temporary guidances are no longer relevant. The withdrawals will be effective on June 16, 2026.

Salmonella Outbreak Linked to Moringa Supplements Ends with 97 Sickened in 32 States

Wed, 18 Mar 2026 05:30:00 -0400

The products have been recalled, but have a long shelf life. FDA previously reported working with the manufacturers to determine the root cause of contamination, but has not shared an update at the time of the investigation’s close.

FDA Releases Report Summarizing Foodborne Illness Outbreak Investigations in 2024

Tue, 17 Mar 2026 14:51:51 -0400

The agency’s Office of Coordinated Outbreak Response, Evaluation, and Emergency Preparedness (CORE+EP) evaluated 72 incidents, initiated 26 response investigations, and issued ten public health advisories in 2024.

Innovation Center for U.S. Dairy Announces 2026 Food Safety Workshops

Tue, 17 Mar 2026 11:08:52 -0400

The in-person Dairy Plant Food Safety Workshops and Supplier Food Safety Management Workshop help dairy manufacturers enhance their in-plant and supplier food safety programs and strengthen preventive controls, in alignment with regulatory requirements.

USDA-FSIS Investigated Seven Multistate Foodborne Illness Outbreaks in FY 2025

Fri, 13 Mar 2026 16:59:12 -0400

The agency has published a summary of foodborne illness outbreak investigations involving USDA-regulated products in Fiscal Year (FY) 2025, alongside an after-action review of a fatal listeriosis outbreak linked to Yu Shang-brand ready-to-eat (RTE) meats that was solved in 2024.