Sanitation

Cornell Advancing Dry Sanitation Forum: Executive Summary

Mon, 02 Nov 2026 11:40:32 -0500

Organized through Cornell's Dry Sanitation Research Advisory Council and hosted by Kerry, the Cornell Advancing Dry Sanitation forum combined research presentations, industry experience, and interactive discussions across six themes: moisture management, emerging technologies, allergen control, hygienic design, sanitation validation, and priorities for future collaboration.

Practical Guidelines for Choosing Between Dry and Wet Sanitation

Mon, 02 Nov 2026 02:30:00 -0500

Choosing between dry and wet sanitation in low-moisture food processing environments requires balancing cleaning effectiveness against the microbial risks introduced by water. A risk-based approach can help facilities determine when controlled wet cleaning is justified and how to minimize associated food safety risks.

Superlift Expands Stainless Steel Lift Table Line for Sanitary Food Processing Environments

Fri, 30 Oct 2026 15:27:27 -0400

The lift tables are designed to facilitate cleaning and minimize areas where food residues, moisture, and bacteria could accumulate.

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.

Ep. 228. Adam Holt, BCE: Smarter Pest Management, From IPM to AI

Tue, 27 Oct 2026 02:30:00 -0400

In this episode of Food Safety Matters, Adam Holt, BCE, Founder and Principal Consultant of NameDatBug, discusses common pest management vulnerabilities in food facilities, best practices for integrated pest management (IPM), and the benefits and limitations of electronic monitoring and AI. He also shares strategies for improving audit readiness and adapting to emerging pest pressures.

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.

Rodent Awareness Week: Six Signs of Rodent Activity Food Facilities Should Recognize

Tue, 20 Oct 2026 10:20:16 -0400

The National Pest Management Association (NPMA) is urging commercial businesses to watch for early signs of rodent activity and take preventive steps before an infestation develops.

Survey of Low-Moisture Food Manufacturers Reveals Opportunities to Strengthen Dry Sanitation

Tue, 13 Oct 2026 05:00:00 -0400

Respondents generally reported sanitation practices intended to minimize water introduction, but opportunities remained to improve relative humidity management, standardize understanding of sanitation breaks, and better characterize the relationship between moisture management and microbial contamination risks.

Sustainability with ROI: A Beverage Producer Case Study in Water Savings

Tue, 22 Sep 2026 01:00:00 -0400

Today, food processors face the dual challenge of achieving sustainability goals and guaranteeing product safety.

Slipnot Introduces Sweepable, Slip-Resistant Flooring for Dry Food Processing Facilities

Mon, 21 Sep 2026 11:56:13 -0400

Slipnot Sweep was developed to address challenges associated with cleaning traditional slip-resistant flooring in facilities where wet washdowns or power washing may be limited or restricted, supporting sanitation and worker safety.

Food Safety Doctor Offers New Self-Paced Certificate Training Course for Food Industry Workers

Wed, 16 Sep 2026 15:43:35 -0400

The 60-slide course on food safety, personal hygiene, and Good Manufacturing Practices basics is designed to help food businesses efficiently meet FSMA training requirements for personnel involved in food production, packaging, and storage.

Penn State to Hold In-Person Food Safety and Sanitation Workshop for Industry Professionals

Wed, 16 Sep 2026 15:13:59 -0400

Taking place October 13–15, 2026 in State College, Pennsylvania, the opportunity is geared toward those developing in-house food safety programs who want to enhance their knowledge of the science and technology of cleaning, sanitizing, and pest control.

Building a HACCP Program: More Than the Seven Principles

rickstier4@aol.com (Richard F. Stier, M.S.) — Tue, 15 Sep 2026 10:00:00 -0400

Developing an effective HACCP program requires more than following the seven principles. Management commitment, document control, prerequisite programs, training, and other foundational elements are essential to building and maintaining a robust HACCP system.

Study Shows Potential of Thymol for Controlling Salmonella Biofilms on Food-Contact Surfaces

Tue, 15 Sep 2026 05:00:00 -0400

USDA and University of Arkansas researchers concluded that the plant-derived antimicrobial compound could possibly offer a natural disinfection solution for controlling S. Infantis biofilms on plastic and stainless steel surfaces in poultry and food processing facilities.

Food Safety Five Ep. 37: Sanitizer Spray Efficacy, ROI of WGS, Emulsifier Health Effects, and More

hendersonb@bnpmedia.com (Bailee Henderson) — Tue, 15 Sep 2026 02:30:00 -0400

This episode of Food Safety Five covers new research on the impact of spray application on sanitizer efficacy, ROI of WGS for foodborne pathogen surveillance, effect of common food additives on gut health and implications for safety assessment, and contribution of industrial poultry farming to global Campylobacter spread.

Researchers Identify Factors Associated with Widespread Food Safety Noncompliance Among Street Vendors in India

Mon, 07 Sep 2026 05:00:00 -0400

A total of 68.8 percent of vendors were noncompliant with Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) regulatory requirements. Only 21.8 percent of participating vendors reported having received any food safety training.

Synexis, Zee Company Partnership Expands Pathogen Control Technology for Food Processors

Fri, 04 Sep 2026 09:06:41 -0400

Synexis’ DHP technology will be offered through Zee Company as an additional intervention that food and beverage processors can incorporate alongside existing sanitation and pathogen control programs.

When Minutes Matter: Rapid Detection of Listeria in Dairy Processing Environments

Wed, 02 Sep 2026 00:00:00 -0400

This article explores how rapid detection technologies are transforming environmental monitoring programs for L. monocytogenes in dairy plants. It also discusses how faster detection supports quicker sanitation verification, improved risk-based monitoring, and more effective decision-making during contamination events.

The Limits of 'Dry' Sanitizers in Low-Moisture Environments

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

This article discusses the limits of "dry" sanitizers in low-moisture environments in terms of performance, cost, employee safety, and the hidden risks of moisture in hard-to-clean niches.

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.

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.

Mitigating Hidden Rodent Risks in Food Facilities

Sat, 01 Aug 2026 00:00:00 -0400

Modern food facilities are spaces where small structural gaps around utilities and loading areas can create hidden rodent pathways, making exclusion and digital monitoring necessary.

Cornell CALS Announces Advancing Dry Sanitation Forum

Fri, 31 Jul 2026 14:03:00 -0400

Intended for professional sanitarians, food safety leaders, hygienic design specialists, and managers working in low-moisture food manufacturing, the event will take place October 26–27, 2026 in Beloit, Wisconsin.

Researchers Identify Plastic Food Contact Material Properties, Background Microbes that Influence Listeria Biofilm Persistence

Fri, 31 Jul 2026 05:00:00 -0400

The findings suggest that pathogen persistence on plastic food contact surfaces is governed by the combined effects of material composition, engineered surface topography, and microbial ecology rather than any single factor.

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.

Elanco: Summer Fly Pressure, Food Safety, and Smarter IPM in Poultry Houses

Thu, 23 Jul 2026 02:30:00 -0400

In this bonus episode of Food Safety Matters, we speak to Elanco Poultry Food Safety’s Dr. Alissa Welsher about why fly pressures increase during warmer months, the risks flies can pose within poultry operations, and how producers can proactively address flies through integrated pest management (IPM) strategies.

Another Study Suggests Plastic Particles Strengthen E. coli Biofilms; Researchers Underline Drinking Water Safety Implications

Tue, 21 Jul 2026 08:57:37 -0400

Adding to a growing body of evidence that micro- and nanoplastics may enhance the virulence and persistence of pathogens in food and the environment, a new study found that nanoplastics may strengthen E. coli biofilms in drinking water systems and increase resistance to chlorine treatment.

Study: E. coli in Lettuce Growing Environment Have Stress Adaptation Traits Enabling Farm-to-Fork Persistence

Wed, 15 Jul 2026 05:00:00 -0400

The co-occurrence of biofilm formation, acid tolerance, and antimicrobial resistance genes in E. coli isolated from irrigation water, soil, and crops could complicate downstream microbial control efforts in produce production systems.