Microbiological Control

Nara Organics Infant Formula Botulism Outbreak Ends; WGS, Supply Chain Evidence Show Link to ByHeart

Thu, 27 Aug 2026 15:16:06 -0400

The Nara Organics infant botulism outbreak has ended, with four sick in three states. Whole genome sequencing (WGS) findings and a shared powdered milk supplier/processor indicate a common source of contamination with the 2025 outbreak linked to ByHeart infant formula.

Q&A: EFSA Explains New EU WGS Data-Sharing Requirements for Foodborne Illness Outbreaks

hendersonb@bnpmedia.com (Bailee Henderson) — Thu, 27 Aug 2026 12:44:00 -0400

Regulation (EU) 2025/179, which came into effect on August 23, requires EU Member States to conduct WGS on five key pathogens during foodborne illness outbreak investigations. An interview with EFSA’s Dr. Frank Verdonck unpacks the new rule and previews the upcoming Science Meets Policy conference.

Food Hygiene, Antimicrobial Stewardship are Equally Critical to Controlling Foodborne Drug Resistance, FAO Experts Say

Wed, 26 Aug 2026 12:00:36 -0400

Controlling foodborne antimicrobial resistance requires a One Health approach centered on food hygiene. Although antimicrobial stewardship can slow the emergence and enrichment of resistant bacteria, existing environmental reservoirs mean that resistant bacteria can contaminate food regardless of antimicrobial use.

Learnings From a 2025 UK Listeriosis Outbreak Linked to Home-Delivered Cook-Chill Meals

Mon, 24 Aug 2026 09:38:50 -0400

In an analysis of a Listeria monocytogenes outbreak in which one person died, UKHSA highlighted investigation details, risk assessment and control measures, and the potential risks associated with home-delivered cook-chill meals.

Alfalfa Sprouts Contaminated With Both E. coli, Salmonella Sicken 55 People in 15 States

Fri, 21 Aug 2026 15:01:44 -0400

Outbreak strains include STEC serotypes O26:H11, O103:H25, and O168:H8 and one strain of Salmonella Agona. Some people were infected with more than one outbreak strain. The implicated products were distributed by Everything Sprouts LLC of Minneapolis, Minnesota.

FDA’s Listeria Prevention Public Meeting: Experts Debate Zero Tolerance, Emphasize Environmental Monitoring and Fundamental Controls

hendersonb@bnpmedia.com (Bailee Henderson) — Fri, 21 Aug 2026 12:36:43 -0400

Participants argued that reductions in listeriosis will require implementation of fundamental preventive controls, true “seek and destroy” efforts, and risk-based approaches. Dose-response models suggesting that low contamination may confer low risk were also discussed.

Salmonella Outbreak Linked to Jalapeños Now Includes 431 People in 32 States

Thu, 20 Aug 2026 09:30:52 -0400

There have been 57 hospitalizations. The peppers were grown in Sinaloa, Mexico, and distributed by Coast Citrus Distributors to companies across the U.S., including Chipotle, which used its traceability system to help FDA identify the outbreak source.

200 Sick, One Dead in UK Salmonella Enteritidis Outbreak

Wed, 19 Aug 2026 09:39:56 -0400

A vehicle of illness has not yet been definitively confirmed, but according to UKHSA, epidemiological evidence points to egg consumption as the strongest food signal identified to date.

Study Shows How Spray Application Affects Sanitizer Efficacy Against Listeria on Food-Contact Surfaces

Tue, 18 Aug 2026 11:57:34 -0400

Longer application times, shorter nozzle distances, and spray patterns that deliver sufficient physical force to surfaces may contribute to improved microbial reduction. Sanitizer efficacy experiments could misrepresent real-world sanitation outcomes when shear stress and application time are not considered.

Food Safety Five Ep. 36: Listeria, E. coli, Biofilms, Plastics, and Oil Adulteration

hendersonb@bnpmedia.com (Bailee Henderson) — Tue, 18 Aug 2026 02:30:00 -0400

This episode of Food Safety Five discusses new research on avocado oil authenticity in processed foods, the effects of nanoplastics on bacterial biofilms in drinking water systems, factors influencing Listeria monocytogenes persistence on plastic food contact surfaces, and stress-adaptation traits that may help E. coli persist from farm to fork.

UK Sees Significant Decline in Cryptosporidium Infections in 2025

Mon, 17 Aug 2026 10:54:31 -0400

Cases decreased by 27.2 percent from the previous year. Although Cryptosporidium can be transmitted through routes other than food, the parasite can enter the food supply through contaminated irrigation water and contact with excrement during cultivation, harvesting, and handling.

Is Whole Head Lettuce Safer Than Bagged Salad?

Mon, 17 Aug 2026 05:00:00 -0400

Is whole head lettuce really safer than bagged salad? The answer depends on far more than how the lettuce is packaged and sold.

FDA Begins Inspection at Taylor Farms Mexico as Official Cyclospora Outbreak Case Count Exceeds 10,000

hendersonb@bnpmedia.com (Bailee Henderson) — Fri, 14 Aug 2026 09:41:27 -0400

There are an additional six cyclosporiasis outbreaks under investigation and thousands more Cyclospora cases reported by CDC and states. Two deaths have been reported. Stakeholders are urging an end to the Food Traceability Rule delay.

Repeated European Salmonella Outbreaks Traced to Polish Egg Firm

Thu, 13 Aug 2026 15:31:38 -0400

Four Salmonella Enteritidis ST11 outbreaks identified in France between May and July 2026 were linked to homemade egg-based foods and traced to a common egg distribution network in Poland. The same Polish food group was implicated in another multinational salmonellosis outbreak in 2016–2020.

EU Survey of Pathogens in RTE Plant-Based Foods Suggests Microbial Growth Potential, Need for Regulatory Attention

Thu, 13 Aug 2026 09:27:45 -0400

The microbiological quality of most ready-to-eat (RTE) plant-based meat, dairy, and fish substitutes was satisfactory, but elevated levels of pathogens and indicators in some commodities raised process and hygiene concerns. An analysis of the products’ physico-chemical properties suggested they could support microbial growth.

Modeling Study Identifies Heat, pH Conditions to Inhibit C. botulinum Growth in Chilled Foods

Thu, 13 Aug 2026 05:00:00 -0400

The researchers determined that probabilistic modeling could help food businesses capitalize on existing scientific data to map processing and formulation conditions for controlling non-proteolytic C. botulinum in refrigerated, processed foods of extended durability.

Study Links Industrial Poultry Farming to Increased Spread, Adaptation of Campylobacter

Wed, 12 Aug 2026 05:00:00 -0400

Oxford University researchers found that the expansion of dense, industrial chicken farming created conditions that enabled Campylobacter strains to spread, mix, and acquire traits that could improve their survival in poultry production environments.

FDA Finalizes FSMA Preventive Controls Guidance for Fresh-Cut Produce

Tue, 11 Aug 2026 12:01:40 -0400

The resource provides recommendations and examples for implementing FSMA Preventive Controls for Human Foods Rule requirements to control known or reasonably foreseeable biological hazards in fresh-cut produce.

FAO Reviews Food Safety Risks, Control Challenges of Toxigenic Clostridia

Tue, 11 Aug 2026 10:26:43 -0400

The report examines spore-forming, botulinum toxin-producing clostridia that pose persistent challenges for food production, including C. botulinum, C. perfringens, and C. difficile. It reviews disease burden, outbreak risks, prevention strategies, detection methods, and significant epidemiological data gaps.

Study Finds Multidrug-Resistant, Biofilm-Forming Enterococcus Across Retail Meat, Workers, Consumers

Mon, 10 Aug 2026 08:00:00 -0400

A new study found high levels of multidrug resistance and biofilm formation among Enterococcus spp. isolated from retail meat, market workers, and consumers. Genetic similarities among E. faecalis and E. faecium isolates from different sources suggested potential cross-transmission at the food–human interface, although the researchers emphasized that direct transmission was not established.

Study Shows Promise of Hydrogen Peroxide Treatment for Poultry Decontamination

Thu, 06 Aug 2026 05:00:00 -0400

Hydrogen peroxide treatment, followed by catalase enzyme application to remove residual peroxide, significantly reduced Salmonella Typhimurium and Listeria monocytogenes on raw chicken wings while preserving the meat's overall color quality, although more research is needed on the effect on other organoleptic properties.

Scientific Review Evaluates Blue Light-Mediated Photosensitization Across Food Applications

Wed, 05 Aug 2026 11:58:00 -0400

A new scientific review examines blue light-mediated photosensitization for antimicrobial intervention across various food sectors. The review notes the technology's promise as a nonthermal antimicrobial intervention for food safety and emphasizes the need for further studies to support scale-up across industry.

Chipotle Identifies Potential Connection Between Salmonella Outbreak and Jalapeños

Tue, 04 Aug 2026 13:30:00 -0400

The fast-casual Mexican-style restaurant chain has pulled the jalapeños from its restaurants and replaced them with product from different growers, out of "an abundance of caution."

Study Identifies Optimal Poultry Transport Cage Washing Conditions to Reduce Salmonella

Mon, 03 Aug 2026 05:00:00 -0400

Transport cages are recognized as a potential source of cross-contamination in poultry slaughterhouses. The optimal washing water temperature and detergent concentration completely eliminated detectable Salmonella while greatly reducing indicator organisms. The identified parameters may improve food safety and operational efficiency.

Get Ahead of Spoilage in Food Manufacturing with Metagenomics for Preventive Monitoring

Wed, 29 Jul 2026 00:00:00 -0400

Spoilage microorganisms present an important and complex challenge for food manufacturers, affecting production processes, product quality, retailer relationships, consumer satisfaction, food loss and waste, and ultimately, the bottom line.

England Saw 2,500 STEC Cases in 2025, Holding Steady with Previous Year

Tue, 28 Jul 2026 10:58:20 -0400

UKHSA said the relatively stable number of STEC notifications in 2025 marked a departure from the steady annual increases observed since 2021, when larger outbreaks contributed substantially to case counts.

Researchers Propose Listeria Biofilm Colonization Hypothesis to Explain Persistence in Food Processing Plants

Tue, 28 Jul 2026 09:24:53 -0400

A new hypothesis suggests Listeria monocytogenes persists by colonizing nutrient-rich voids left behind when Gram-negative bacterial biofilms disperse. If the theory is validated, the authors suggest shifting food safety strategies toward managing biofilm ecology and ecological succession, rather than focusing solely on pathogen detection.

Taylor Farms Lettuce Cyclosporiasis Outbreak Expands to Nine States; CDC Reports Nearly 2,000 Cases, State Counts Exceed 10,000

hendersonb@bnpmedia.com (Bailee Henderson) — Fri, 24 Jul 2026 11:47:50 -0400

At least 1,947 people infected with Cyclospora who had exposure to Taco Bell have been reported in nine states. Michigan and Ohio are together reporting more than 10,000 cyclosporiasis cases. FDA is investigating three other outbreak clusters.

Center for Produce Safety Releases Cyclospora Resources for Industry

Fri, 24 Jul 2026 08:42:12 -0400

The growing collection includes scientific publications and guidances on detection and viability methods, agricultural water monitoring and treatment, mitigation strategies, and the biology and epidemiology of the parasite.

Research Collaboration Produces Guidance for Controlling Spore-Forming Bacteria in Plant-Based Beverage Ingredients

Fri, 24 Jul 2026 07:23:31 -0400

The findings from a pre-competitive, industry–academia research collaboration provide a scientific foundation for discussions on quality standards and risk management in the plant-based dairy-alternative beverage sector.