Contamination Control

FAO/WHO Call for Data on Aflatoxins in Cereals Inform Codex Maximum Levels

Fri, 06 Nov 2026 08:42:09 -0500

The request will support the Codex Committee on Contaminants in Foods in determining whether existing maximum levels (MLs) for total aflatoxins in certain commodities require revision, as well as assessing the need for and feasibility of establishing MLs for additional cereals and grains.

EU Clarifies Veterinary Drug Residue Enforcement for Meat Products

Fri, 06 Nov 2026 05:00:45 -0500

A new EU regulation defines the actions competent authorities must take when noncompliance is identified, including requirements for product disposal, investigations, and risk-based enforcement measures.

ByHeart Formula Discontinued After Infant Botulism Outbreak, But Founders Set to Acquire Different Formula Business

Thu, 05 Nov 2026 05:30:00 -0500

ByHeart stopped making infant formula following the outbreak linked to its products, but its co-founders started a new company, MeridianMade, which has entered into an agreement to acquire Perrigo’s infant formula business—raising questions about safety and market consolidation.

Novel Bacteriophage Shows Potential to Control Drug-Resistant Bacillus cereus in Milk, Rice, Pork

Wed, 04 Nov 2026 05:30:00 -0500

The phage showed promise as a biocontrol agent against B. cereus contamination in food due to its sustained antibacterial activity, environmental stability, and efficacy against biofilms and germinated spores. It was able to reduce B. cereus to below detectable levels without regrowth.

U.S. Bill Introduced to Ban Synthetic Color Additives in Food, Drugs, Cosmetics

Wed, 04 Nov 2026 05:15:00 -0500

Proposed by Representative Nancy Mace (R-SC), the prohibition would apply to color additives subject to FDA certification and certified color additive lakes. Color additives exempt from FDA certification, including many naturally derived colors, would not be affected.

EU Recommends Monitoring Chlorinated Paraffins in Food Through 2029

Tue, 03 Nov 2026 05:15:00 -0500

The monitoring initiative set forth in Recommendation (EU) 2026/2335 is intended to improve data availability on the occurrence and distribution of the industrial chemicals in food, supporting more robust assessments of human dietary exposure.

Seasonal Salmonella Meat Contamination Patterns Disappearing in U.S., Except for Ground Beef

Mon, 02 Nov 2026 05:00:00 -0500

Based on 25 years of sampling data, USDA-FSIS researchers found that seasonal patterns of Salmonella contamination in raw meat and poultry products have changed significantly, with ground beef being the only commodity to maintain a strong peak in warmer months.

How Many Days of Shelf Life Are You Leaving on the Table?

Sun, 01 Nov 2026 00:00:00 -0400

A more strategic approach to shelf life can help prepared food manufacturers reduce product loss, increase operational flexibility, and capture greater value from every production run.

Unique Yersinia enterocolitica Type May Cause Illness Through Inflammatory Response

Fri, 30 Oct 2026 05:00:00 -0400

Yersiniosis is the second most frequently notified foodborne illness in New Zealand. While Y. enterocolitica BT 1A accounts for approximately 20–30 percent of annual notifications, it lacks several recognized virulence genes, which has historically raised questions about its ability to cause illness.

EFSA Reviews Codex Pesticide Residue Limits, Identifies Consumer Health Concerns

Thu, 29 Oct 2026 10:57:42 -0400

The scientific report will inform the EU’s position at the 57th session of the Codex Committee on Pesticide Residues.

EPA Launches PFAS TECH Strategy to Develop Remediation Technologies, Following Deregulatory Actions

hendersonb@bnpmedia.com (Bailee Henderson) — Thu, 29 Oct 2026 09:05:37 -0400

Although EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin said the new strategy exemplifies how “the Trump EPA is laser-focused on Making America Healthy Again [MAHA],” the announcement comes as the agency continues to receive criticisms for the Administration’s history of decisions to back off PFAS regulation.

EPA May Significantly Underestimate PFAS in U.S. Drinking Water, Study Suggests

Thu, 29 Oct 2026 05:00:00 -0400

Researchers found that EPA’s interpretation of drinking water contaminant monitoring data, in which PFAS measurements that fall below laboratory reporting limits are treated as “zero,” could underestimate “forever chemical” occurrence by as much as 56 percent.

Proactive Prevention of Food Contaminants: A Review of FDA Guidance and Expectations

Thu, 29 Oct 2026 02:30:00 -0400

As FDA expands its oversight of food contaminants, manufacturers, retailers, and distributors must understand evolving regulatory expectations and take proactive steps to identify, monitor, and mitigate contamination risks.

U.S. is Making Little Progress Toward 2030 Foodborne Illness Reduction Goals, Data Shows

Wed, 28 Oct 2026 05:00:00 -0400

FDA, CDC, and USDA-FSIS researchers analyzed foodborne illness surveillance data against targets set under the Healthy People initiative, finding worsening incidence of campylobacteriosis, listeriosis, and STEC infections, with no detectable change in salmonellosis incidence, while acknowledging the potential role of advanced surveillance methods.

USDA Researchers Use Crickets to Convert Mycotoxin-Contaminated Corn Into High-Protein Animal Feed

Tue, 27 Oct 2026 09:26:49 -0400

Crickets were raised on contaminated corn, which would otherwise be diverted from the feed supply chain, and processed into insect meal. The resulting meal contained more protein than corn and had 96 percent lower mycotoxin levels.

USDA Study Explores Enzyme-Bacteriocin Treatments to Control Listeria Biofilms in Food Processing Environments

Tue, 27 Oct 2026 05:00:00 -0400

Treatment effectiveness varied by L. monocytogenes strain and bacteriocin used. While the findings supported continued development of enzyme-bacteriocin combinations as potential bio-based tools for L. monocytogenes biofilm control, researchers highlighted the need to ensure that biofilm disruption is accompanied by effective bacterial inactivation.

UK Gov Chemist Reports Advances in Food Fraud Detection, Chemical Safety Findings

Mon, 26 Oct 2026 10:12:33 -0400

The UK Government Chemist has published its Government Chemist Review 2025, outlining its activities, including food chemical safety regulatory compliance testing and research and development related to analytical methods for authenticity and adulteration.

EU Changes Six Maximum Limits for Pesticides in Food Commodities

Mon, 26 Oct 2026 09:43:20 -0400

Commission Regulation (EU) 2026/2289 has revised maximum residue limits (MRLs) for acequinocyl, deltamethrin, dodine, maleic hydrazide, pinoxaden, and prothioconazole.

Study Finds Differences Between Beef, Pork Microbial Contamination During Processing

Mon, 26 Oct 2026 05:00:17 -0400

The findings highlighted the importance of considering meat species, equipment type, and temporal changes in microbial communities when developing cleaning and sanitation strategies for meat processing facilities.

FAO Identifies Five Priorities for Strengthening Mycotoxin Control in Near East, North Africa

Fri, 23 Oct 2026 09:22:09 -0400

In a new report, FAO assessed mycotoxin contamination in food and feed across the region and highlighted disparities in national regulatory frameworks, laboratory capacities, and surveillance systems, as well as the increasing impact of climate change on contamination risks.

Researchers Describe Significant Food Safety Risks, Regulatory Gaps in Afghanistan

Fri, 23 Oct 2026 05:00:00 -0400

According to the review, microbiological and chemical food safety hazards in the country are exacerbated by inadequate water and sanitation infrastructure, limited regulatory oversight, and food insecurity.

FDA Proposes Cadmium Action Levels for Baby Foods, Issues Preventive Controls Guidance for Chemical Hazards

Thu, 22 Oct 2026 15:55:52 -0400

The actions are part of FDA's Closer to Zero initiative, which aims to continually reduce dietary exposure to toxic heavy metals among babies and young children.

Researchers Developing Risk Assessment Model to Evaluate Food Safety Impacts of Produce Defects

Thu, 22 Oct 2026 11:31:49 -0400

Supported by the Center for Produce Safety (CPS), Cornell researchers are developing a quantitative microbial risk assessment (QMRA) model to evaluate how quality defects affect Listeria and E. coli growth on produce, helping identify effective interventions and improve processes.

Novel Antimicrobial Peptide Inhibits Foodborne Pathogens, Delays Milk Spoilage

Thu, 22 Oct 2026 05:00:00 -0400

Postbiotin-E8, derived from Lacticaseibacillus, demonstrated antibacterial and antibiofilm activity against several foodborne pathogens, as well as the ability to extend the freshness of pasteurized milk, suggesting its potential as a natural preservative and surface decontaminant.

Hygiene Interventions Tested in Vietnam Slaughterhouses Failed to Reduce Microbial Contamination

Wed, 21 Oct 2026 05:00:00 -0400

Researchers tested two low-cost food safety intervention approaches in small- and medium-scale pig slaughterhouses. Despite improvements in hygiene practices, neither approach was associated with reduced carcass contamination, suggesting the need for sustained, multi-level interventions targeting infrastructure, operations, and worker hygiene.

Researchers Characterize U.S. Pork-Associated Salmonella Outbreaks From 2012–2021

Tue, 20 Oct 2026 09:36:14 -0400

CDC and USDA-FSIS researchers analyzed 50 salmonellosis outbreaks linked to pork and identified the most commonly implicated products and serotypes, as well as the prevalence of antimicrobial resistance among isolates.

Food Safety Five Ep. 38: Regulatory and Research Updates on Cyclospora, Listeria, Microplastics, and More

hendersonb@bnpmedia.com (Bailee Henderson) — Tue, 20 Oct 2026 02:30:00 -0400

This episode covers the final findings from the U.S. Cyclospora outbreak, new USDA efforts to address Listeria, the new FDA Food Code, research on high-pressure processing for raw chicken, and emerging food safety concerns associated with plastic pollution.

One-Third of Campylobacter from Poultry, Pork Supply Chains in Northeast India Study Show Multidrug Resistance

Mon, 19 Oct 2026 05:00:00 -0400

Genomic analysis also identified biofilm-forming ability in half of isolates, as well as clinically relevant virulence genes. The study, conducted in the Indian state of Meghalaya, represents the country’s first genomic characterization of C. jejuni from pig sources.

Novel Bacteriophage-Based Biosensor Test Method Shows Potential for Rapid Detection of Viable Foodborne Pathogens

Fri, 16 Oct 2026 05:00:00 -0400

After further optimization and validation, the approach could possibly offer an alternative to conventional culture-based screening methods that typically require three to five days. The bacteriophage amplification strategy, which was tested against Salmonella on chicken meat, could be adapted to detect other viable foodborne bacteria.

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.