International

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.

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.

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.

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.

FAO, WHO Request Data on Microbial Food Safety Impacts of Frozen Storage Temperatures

Fri, 13 Mar 2026 11:21:53 -0400

The information gathered will be used to support FAO/WHO scientific advice intended to inform future Codex Alimentarius discussions on frozen food handling guidance.

Fatal Listeriosis Outbreak in France Linked to RTE Meats

Fri, 13 Mar 2026 09:49:09 -0400

Ready-to-eat (RTE) pâté en croute contaminated with Listeria monocytogenes and produced by Drôme Ardèche Tradition has sickened 12 people across France, resulting in two deaths. All patients were hospitalized.

U.S. CDC Supports Moldova’s First Use of WGS in Foodborne Illness Outbreak Investigation

Wed, 11 Mar 2026 05:00:00 -0400

Marking the country’s first use of whole genome sequencing (WGS) in an active foodborne illness outbreak investigation, advanced genomics enabled Moldovan authorities to rapidly solve and respond to a salmonellosis outbreak that sickened more than 140 people in 2025.

UK-EU Trade Agreement Would Harmonize Certain Food Safety Rules by Mid-2027

Tue, 10 Mar 2026 11:52:41 -0400

UK businesses will be required to align with relevant EU regulatory requirements within the scope of the Sanitary and Phytosanitary (SPS) agreement, regardless of whether they export to the EU or sell only to the UK market.

EU Launches AI Traceability Platform to Strengthen Detection of Food Fraud, Safety Risks

Tue, 10 Mar 2026 10:08:06 -0400

TraceMap supports national authorities in identifying food safety threats and improving EU-wide coordinated response. A pilot version of TraceMap was recently used to support the investigation of globally distributed cereulide-contaminated infant formula.

World Food Safety Day 2026 to Coincide with Release of Updated WHO Foodborne Disease Burden Estimates

Tue, 10 Mar 2026 09:33:27 -0400

The theme, “From Burden to Solutions—Safe Food Everywhere,” stresses the role of evidence-based action, promoting the forthcoming updated WHO global foodborne disease estimates as a data source to inform targeted food safety and public health interventions.

EU Report Outlines Food Chemical Risk Assessment Data Gaps

Thu, 26 Feb 2026 06:00:00 -0500

With the goal of supporting stronger risk assessments to address emerging food chemical risks, the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) reviewed existing data sources; data gaps and challenges; and recommendations for improving data availability, quality, and interoperability.

French Food Safety Agency Releases New Total Diet Study Results

Wed, 25 Feb 2026 14:54:11 -0500

The first set of results focuses on acrylamide and certain toxic heavy metals. Although the levels of some contaminants in food are decreasing overall, the population's exposure still remains concerningly high.

Learnings from UK Drug-Resistant E. coli Outbreak that Gave 19 Kids HUS

Tue, 24 Feb 2026 10:15:06 -0500

The STEC O26:H11 outbreak sickened 40 people and resulted in 19 cases of hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS) in children. Dried fruit was the probable vehicle of illness. Researchers underlined the importance of a weight-of-evidence approach in the outbreak investigation.

FAO, EFSA Sign MOU to Strengthen Collaboration on Science-Based Food Safety

Fri, 20 Feb 2026 09:16:28 -0500

The three-year partnership will focus on driving food safety, sustainability, and resiliency, aligned with One Health principles, by leveraging advanced technological tools and science.

EFSA Reviews Cereulide Infant Formula Incident, Says Likelihood of Exposure is Low

editorhal@sbcglobal.net (Hallie Forcinio) — Thu, 19 Feb 2026 10:21:21 -0500

Amid the ongoing global infant formula recall due to possible cereulide contamination, some countries have reported cases of mostly mild gastrointestinal illness in infants who had consumed infant formula, but confirming cereulide exposure is a challenge.

New Estimates Say Shigella, Rotavirus Cause Most Foodborne Diarrheal Diseases, Deaths

Wed, 18 Feb 2026 11:37:19 -0500

Based on the largest database of detection rates yet compiled, new global foodborne diarrheal disease burden estimates will serve as inputs for WHO’s forthcoming updated, broader estimates on the global burden of foodborne diseases.

FAO Publishes Report on Food Fraud in Fishery and Aquaculture Sector

Wed, 11 Feb 2026 05:30:00 -0500

Food fraud in the seafood sector is a growing and complex issue with serious health consequences, requiring a coordinated effort involving strict enforcement, advanced analytical tools, stakeholder collaboration, and public education.

FAO/WHO Call for Experts to Support Microbiological Risk Assessment for Infant Formula

hendersonb@bnpmedia.com (Bailee Henderson) — Thu, 05 Feb 2026 12:21:43 -0500

In the wake of a high-profile safety incidents involving powdered infant formula, FAO/WHO have issued a call for experts and data to support JEMRA in conducting a risk assessment that will help the Codex Committee on Food Hygiene update the Codex Alimentarius standards for powdered formula.

FAO/WHO Experts Publish Report on Control Measures for Foodborne Viruses of Concern

Tue, 03 Feb 2026 15:40:55 -0500

The FAO/WHO Joint Expert Meeting on Microbiological Risk Assessment (JEMRA) has published a report on prevention and intervention measures for foodborne virus–commodity pairs of concern.

Technical University of Denmark to Host WHO Center for Food Safety, Nutrition Work

Tue, 03 Feb 2026 05:00:00 -0500

The Technical University of Denmark (DTU) National Food Institute is home to the new WHO Collaborating Center for Risk and Benefits of Foods and Diets.

FoodChain ID Announces Partnership in Ukraine, Acquisition in Brazil

Mon, 02 Feb 2026 12:40:30 -0500

FoodChain ID recently announced two global developments: a partnership with the Center of Excellence for Life Sciences, Agriculture, and Bioingenuity to support recovery of the Ukrainian agri-food sector and the acquisition of Brazilian certification body Sbcert.

First Case of Bird Flu H5N1 in European Dairy Cow Reported

Mon, 02 Feb 2026 10:44:54 -0500

Antibodies for highly pathogenic avian influenza H5N1 (HPAI H5N1) have been detected in a Dutch dairy cow, indicating the animal was infected with the virus.

FAO: Harmonization Needed in Food Safety Risk Assessments for Environmental Inhibitors

Tue, 20 Jan 2026 08:19:34 -0500

Environmental inhibitors are compounds used in agriculture to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from animals or minimize nitrogen losses in soil. A new FAO report highlights the need for a harmonized approach to risk assessment of these compounds and suggests a potential framework.

Global Salmonellosis Cases, Mortality Rose Significantly in Last Three Decades

hendersonb@bnpmedia.com (Bailee Henderson) — Mon, 19 Jan 2026 05:00:00 -0500

A new analysis of global foodborne illness data revealed that, since 1990, the number of invasive non-typhoidal Salmonella cases and deaths have risen by 46 percent and 27 percent, respectively—with significant regional disparities.

WHO Publishes Manuals for Strengthening National Foodborne Illness Surveillance and Response Systems

Fri, 16 Jan 2026 05:00:00 -0500

WHO has released a set of updated manuals to help national authorities strengthen foodborne illness outbreak surveillance and response, contributing to faster and more reliable communication and response internationally (i.e., through INFOSAN).

Three EU Reference Labs for Foodborne Diseases Become Operational

Thu, 15 Jan 2026 13:55:50 -0500

On January 1, three new EU reference laboratories for foodborne and waterborne diseases became officially operational, bringing the total number to nine. These laboratories will help national public health laboratories improve testing, data quality, and outbreak preparedness related to food- and waterborne pathogens.

FAO/WHO Identify High-Priority Chemical Contaminants in Water Used for Agri-Food Production

Fri, 02 Jan 2026 09:42:30 -0500

FAO and WHO recently published a report identifying and prioritizing chemical contaminants that pose a food safety risk due to their presence in sources of water used in agri-food systems.

FAO: Human Oversight Remains Critical in Using AI for Food Safety Foresight

Thu, 01 Jan 2026 05:00:00 -0500

FAO recently published a report and conducted a webinar on the use of advanced technologies like AI to transform traditional approaches to food safety foresight, providing both public and private perspectives, and emphasizing the importance of expert human oversight and cross-sector collaboration.

Codex Initiates Work on Clostridium botulinum in Infant Formula

Tue, 30 Dec 2025 05:00:00 -0500

At the 55^th Session of the Codex Committee on Food Hygiene (CCFH), prompted by the ongoing infant botulism outbreak linked to ByHeart formula in the U.S., CCFH decided to initiate work related to the control of Clostridium botulinum in powdered infant formula.