Risk Assessment

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

New FDA Risk Assessment Informs FSMA Requirements for Raw Manure Use on Produce

Thu, 12 Mar 2026 13:08:47 -0400

Providing evidence for potential Produce Safety Rule standards, the assessment examined how pathogens survive in untreated biological soil amendments of animal origin (BSAAO) and contaminate produce. FDA found that longer time between BSAAO application and harvest significantly reduces crop contamination.

Food Safety Five Ep. 27: The Problem With Florida’s Food Contaminant Testing Reports

hendersonb@bnpmedia.com (Bailee Henderson) — Tue, 03 Mar 2026 05:30:17 -0500

This episode of Food Safety Five discusses expert perspectives on the Healthy Florida First food contaminant testing program, including information gaps about the testing and risk assessment methodology and why this missing information matters.

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.

Scientists Say Missing Data in Florida Reports on Metals in Candy, Infant Formula Create Confusion

hendersonb@bnpmedia.com (Bailee Henderson) — Mon, 09 Feb 2026 11:32:30 -0500

The first reports from the MAHA-aligned Healthy Florida First initiatives raised concern about toxic heavy metals in infant formula and candy, but toxicologists say a lack of transparency around the methodology and risk assessment makes the findings difficult for experts to interpret and raises questions about the relevance to consumer health.

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.

Researchers to Develop E. coli Risk Assessment Model for Produce Grown Near Animal Feedlots

Fri, 30 Jan 2026 09:13:56 -0500

With the hope of developing a user-friendly model, a Center for Produce Safety-funded study is investigating factors that influence Escherichia coli contamination risks posed by concentrated animal feeding operations (CAFO) near produce growing fields.

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.

Institutions Nationwide Collaborate in USDA-Funded Project to Improve Microbial Food Safety

Thu, 15 Jan 2026 05:00:00 -0500

Supported in part by USDA-NIFA, multidisciplinary researchers and Extension professionals from U.S. land-grant institutions have collaborated under the Enhancing Microbial Safety by Risk Analysis project, completing new research, helping inform policy, and providing education and outreach.

Using Risk Assessment to Interpret the Detection of Metals and Other Impurities in Foods

Wed, 10 Dec 2025 00:00:00 -0500

Monitoring impurities in foods is an important tool for protecting vulnerable populations. However, as consumers encounter more reports of detectable impurities in everyday foods, concern is likely to grow unless these findings are clearly communicated in the context of potential health risk.

Footsteps and Forklifts: The Dance of the Production Floor

Mon, 08 Dec 2025 00:00:00 -0500

This article looks at how the movement of people and equipment in a food processing plant affects food safety risks and how these risks can be successfully managed.

FAO/WHO Calls for Experts, Data on Omics for Microbial Risk Assessment

Fri, 05 Dec 2025 12:53:00 -0500

To support the work of the Joint Expert Meeting on Microbiological Risk Assessment (JEMRA), FAO/WHO are seeking experts and data on the use of omics-based technologies for pathogen detection, outbreak root cause analyses, surveillance, food process monitoring programs, and microbiological risk assessments.

Food Safety Five Ep. 21: New Codex Standards, Advancements to Control Listeria and Salmonella

hendersonb@bnpmedia.com (Bailee Henderson) — Tue, 02 Dec 2025 07:30:00 -0500

This episode of Food Safety Five discusses a farm-to-fork quantitative microbial risk assessment (QMRA) for Listeria monocytogenes in cantaloupe, a study demonstrating the efficacy of antimicrobial peptides for reducing Salmonella in poultry, and the adoption of new international standards at the 48^th session of the Codex Alimentarius Commission.

QMRA for Listeria on Cantaloupe Identifies Importance of Post-Packing Time, Temperature

hendersonb@bnpmedia.com (Bailee Henderson) — Wed, 12 Nov 2025 11:38:36 -0500

Researchers have developed a new, farm-to-fork quantitative microbial risk assessment (QMRA) model to evaluate the risk of Listeria monocytogenes contamination in fresh-cut cantaloupe.

EFSA Clarifies Data Requirements for Microorganisms Used in Food Chain

Tue, 04 Nov 2025 11:29:21 -0500

To support the preparation of applications for regulated products, EFSA released a new guidance document detailing the scientific requirements for the characterization and risk assessment of both genetically modified (GM) and non-GM microorganisms used in the food chain.

Researchers Developing Tool to Help Leafy Greens Growers Mitigate REP E. coli Strain

Mon, 27 Oct 2025 15:45:58 -0400

An ongoing Center for Produce Safety-funded study is investigating the factors contributing to the persistence of a reoccurring, emerging, and persisting (REP) Escherichia coli O157:H7 subtype associated with leafy greens foodborne illness outbreaks, with the goal of developing a risk assessment tool for growers.

ILSI Europe Introduces Risk Prioritization Framework for Mycotoxins in Food

Mon, 13 Oct 2025 16:24:41 -0400

As the food safety threats posed by fungal contamination continue to grow, ILSI Europe has introduced a practical risk prioritization framework designed to identify which mycotoxins present the greatest risk to consumers, and where mitigation efforts should be concentrated.

Latin American, Caribbean Countries Collaborate to Establish Veterinary Drug MRLs for Food

Thu, 02 Oct 2025 12:46:32 -0400

A Latin American–Caribbean consortium, aided by FAO, is working toward establishing Codex Alimentarius-aligned maximum residue limits (MRLs) for regionally important veterinary drug residues, advancing food safety.

Experts Explain How Probabilistic Exposure Assessments Enhance Food Chemical Risk Management

Fri, 29 Aug 2025 13:07:25 -0400

In a new paper supported by the Institute for the Advancement of Food and Nutrition Sciences (IAFNS), experts demystify Probabilistic Exposure Assessments (PEAs)—a more accurate approach for estimating dietary exposure to chemicals—by offering a comprehensive overview of their history, applications, and regulatory guidance.

Food Safety Five Ep. 13: A New Model for Identifying E. Coli Interventions in Romaine Production

hendersonb@bnpmedia.com (Bailee Henderson) — Tue, 05 Aug 2025 07:30:00 -0400

This episode of Food Safety Five discusses a new study that leverages a novel quantitative microbial risk assessment (QMRA) model that suggests that half of E. coli O157:H7 illnesses linked to romaine lettuce are caused by contamination via untreated overhead irrigation water.

Half of Romaine Lettuce E. Coli Outbreaks Caused by Overhead Irrigation Water, Study Finds

hendersonb@bnpmedia.com (Bailee Henderson) — Wed, 23 Jul 2025 10:40:39 -0400

Using a newly developed quantitative microbial risk assessment (QMRA) model, researchers have identified interventions along the U.S. romaine lettuce supply chain that would most effectively reduce E. coli contamination. The QMRA is publicly available for use.

Beyond the Score: Risk-Focused Audits and the Ethics of Prevention

solutions@foodsafetymuse.com (Cori Muse) — Tue, 24 Jun 2025 00:00:00 -0400

This article discusses focus points for risk-focused auditing and auditing with defined goals.

Making Risk Assessments Practical: Spotting and Preventing Food Safety Hazards

Thu, 19 Jun 2025 00:00:00 -0400

A risk assessment is a systematic process used to identify, analyze, and address potential hazards that could compromise safety. It considers how likely a hazard is to occur and the severity of its consequences, leading to control measures that reduce risks to a safe level. These assessments should be dynamic, practical, action-oriented, and designed to foster true competence.

Fundamentals of a Retain Sample Program

rickstier4@aol.com (Richard F. Stier, M.S.) — Wed, 18 Jun 2025 00:00:00 -0400

This article discusses the fundamentals of a retain sample program, which ensures that production samples from each lot of product are retained onsite. These retained samples allow the manufacturing company to evaluate any customer complaints, conduct quality checks, and provide samples to evaluate in the event of a recall.

Safeguarding the Spice Industry: Strategies for Contamination Prevention and Quality Control

Tue, 17 Jun 2025 00:00:00 -0400

Spices are sourced from various regions worldwide, often involving multiple suppliers, diverse agricultural practices, and differing regulatory standards. These complexities increase the risk of contamination, adulteration, and foodborne illnesses. Effectively managing these risks requires a thorough understanding of the international supply chain and the vulnerabilities that exist at each stage.

EFSA Outlines Research Needs to Advance Risk Assessment: Gut Microbiome, Chemical Exposures, and More

Thu, 17 Apr 2025 10:50:58 -0400

The European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) has published a paper describing research and innovation needs to support regulatory science and advance risk assessment, including understanding the gut microbiome, improving aggregate chemical exposure science, ensuring allergenicity assessments for novel proteins are fit-for-purpose, and other areas.