Laboratory Management

Study Shows How Swab Storage Time, Temperature Affect Allergen Detection

Tue, 17 Feb 2026 12:16:45 -0500

The findings reinforce the importance of current best practice, which recommends same-day delivery on ice.

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-Led UK-Philippines Collaboration Strengthens National AMR Defenses

Tue, 28 Oct 2025 10:35:15 -0400

The FAO UK Reference Center for AMR has partnered with the Philippines to strengthen national laboratory capacity and harmonize antimicrobial susceptibility testing methods, involving representatives across the food and agriculture sectors.

How Simple Microbiological Truths Provide Insights for Understanding and Solving Practical Problems

Tue, 21 Oct 2025 00:00:00 -0400

This article discusses the practical value of tried-and-true facts in food safety and quality microbiology that have vast importance in solving and resolving practical contamination problems.

NEMIS Technologies Unveils New Testing Solutions Alongside U.S. Expansion

Wed, 23 Jul 2025 15:58:37 -0400

NEMIS Technologies has unveiled new, rapid hygiene monitoring solutions for testing “on the go”—ATP GO and ATP GO Liquid—as well as NEMIS iNactivate, a microbe inactivation device for pathogen testing workflows. The company also opened a U.S. office in San Francisco, California.

Secretary Rollins Unveils New USDA Food Safety Policy Plan at FSIS Midwestern Lab Grand Opening

Tue, 15 Jul 2025 15:26:07 -0400

At the July 15 grand opening event for the new USDA-FSIS Midwestern Food Safety Laboratory in Missouri, U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins teased the agency’s new food safety policy plan aimed at reducing foodborne illness.

SGS Expands With New Food Safety Testing Facility in New Jersey

Fri, 18 Oct 2024 09:36:00 -0400

SGS North America has expanded its food safety and quality assurance testing capacity with the opening of a new, larger and improved facility in Fairfield, New Jersey.

Hygiena Launches SureTrend Sampling Plan Module to Enhance Sampling Management

Thu, 17 Oct 2024 12:52:26 -0400

Designed to address key challenges faced by food safety professionals, the new Sampling Plan Module for Hygiena’s SureTrend platform offers a streamlined, efficient approach to sampling management.

New Neogen Petrifilm Automated Feeder Helps High-Volume Food Safety Testing Labs

Mon, 01 Jul 2024 11:14:50 -0400

Neogen® Corporation’s new Petrifilm® Automated Feeder works with existing Petrifilm Plate Reader Advanced equipment to help labs efficiently process microbial tests and meet food safety standards.

New Direct Temperature-Controlled Chilling/Heating Dry Bath for Samples in Food Safety Labs

Fri, 14 Jun 2024 12:58:54 -0400

Torrey Pines Scientific has unveiled its EchoTherm™ Model IC50—a Peltier-driven, chilling/heating dry bath with exact sample temperature control.

Rapid Testing Methods—The Future

Fri, 12 Apr 2024 00:00:00 -0400

Part 3 of this Food Safety Insights series on rapid testing asks food safety professionals whether the vast increase in outsourcing of testing to contract labs has made rapid methods less useful, or if the methods' ease of use and speed are still important for better management and decision-making.

FDA Releases 5-Year Training Strategy for Integrated Food Safety System Regulators, Laboratory Professionals

Mon, 01 Apr 2024 12:40:15 -0400

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has released its new Integrated Food Safety System Regulatory and Laboratory Training System (IFSS RLTS) Strategic Plan 2024–2028, and will hold a stakeholder call on April 2, 2024.

New Company to Offer LIMS Software for Food, Beverage Lab Professionals

Wed, 28 Feb 2024 13:11:02 -0500

A new company, Confience, born through a merger of two existing companies, has announced its vision to provide a new standard in laboratory information management system (LIMS) software, applicable to lab and quality professionals in the food and beverage sector.

Rapid Testing Methods—Processor Preferences

Tue, 13 Feb 2024 00:00:00 -0500

Ongoing debates about the use of rapid microbiological test methods in food safety have led to the rise of many questions about the future of this type of testing. This column will explore which methods are being used, food processors' views on what attributes of the tests are most important, how fast is fast enough, and what even faster tests would enable them to accomplish. It also explores where the growth may continue and whether rapid methods used in commercial labs will continue to drive growth, or if a plateau is likely. Growth in regions outside of the U.S. and Europe will also be examined, along with whether rapid testing technology is evolving to the point where it may be acceptable to bring back the analysis to an in-plant lab.

Rapid Testing Methods—Still a Necessary Part of Food Safety?

Tue, 12 Dec 2023 00:00:00 -0500

Ongoing debates about the use of rapid test methods in food safety have led to the rise of the question: Has the vast increase in outsourcing testing to contract labs made rapid methods less useful, or is the ease of use and speed of the methods still important (if not essential) for better management and decision-making in food safety? Food Safety Insights asks food safety professionals their opinions on this question.

WHO Provides Step-by-Step Guide on Use of WGS for Foodborne Illness Surveillance, Response

Fri, 10 Nov 2023 09:56:03 -0500

The World Health Organization (WHO) recently published a three-part guide describing how whole genome sequencing (WGS) can be used as a tool to strengthen foodborne illness surveillance and response.

Microbac: Shelf Life, Where Food Safety and Quality Intersect

Mon, 30 Jan 2023 00:00:00 -0500

In this bonus episode of Food Safety Matters, we speak with Trevor Craig, Corporate Director of Technical Training and Consulting at Microbac Laboratories, about the dates on consumer food packaging, their impacts on shelf life and food safety and quality (FSQ), and the role Microbac can play in helping industry manage FSQ risks.

MilliporeSigma: Discussion with NIH about the Importance of Reference Materials for Dietary Supplements

Mon, 31 Jan 2022 07:00:00 -0500

In this episode of Food Safety Matters MilliporeSigma expert scientist Uma Sreenivasan and NIH health scientist administrator in the Office of Dietary Supplements, Dr. Adam Kuszak go in-depth on the important role reference materials play in assuring safety and quality of dietary supplements.

Testing to Continue to Increase in 2021

Thu, 15 Apr 2021 15:00:48 -0400

As food processors continue to recover from 2020, we wanted to find out more about their plans for 2021. One thing was clear: Testing—especially environmental monitoring—will continue to grow at a rapid pace.

Outsourcing: Pathogen Testing under the Microscope

Tue, 12 Dec 2017 00:07:00 -0500

The way processors view their responsibilities regarding microbiological testing is changing. Regulatory pressure and a focus on food safety are causing changes in where processors do their testing.

Food Safety Testing: What Are Your Options?

Tue, 12 Dec 2017 00:04:00 -0500

Increased consumer interest in food safety and quality issues, combined with expanding regulatory initiatives, are increasing the importance of testing.

Benefits of the ISO Cooperative Agreement Program (CAP) for Food Safety

Tue, 15 Aug 2017 02:00:00 -0400

Interview with the Association of Public Health Laboratories on why a lab might join the ISO Cooperative Agreement Program

Environmental Monitoring for Cleanliness and Pathogen Detection

Wed, 01 Feb 2017 00:00:00 -0500

Adenosine triphosphate sanitation verification systems are now the standard method for evaluating and monitoring sanitation efficacy at food companies around the world.

Lean Quality for Lean Manufacturing

Sat, 01 Oct 2016 00:00:00 -0400

Utilization of Automation in the Contemporary Food Testing Laboratory

Wed, 10 Aug 2016 00:20:00 -0400

Laboratories are utilizing automation that will provide multiple benefits such as the delivery of high-quality data and the ability to take on additional workloads without increasing staffing levels.

Food Testing: Selecting a Contract Laboratory

Wed, 06 Apr 2016 00:15:00 -0400

Most food manufacturers need outside laboratory support at some time or another; the laboratory should be subjected to the same rigor that one would apply to selecting any vendor.

Effective Sanitation Programs Rely on Environmental Monitoring

Mon, 01 Feb 2016 00:00:00 -0500

Adenosine triphosphate sanitation verification systems are now the standard method for evaluating and monitoring sanitation efficacy at food companies around the world.

Food Safety Partnerships Confer Great Advantages

Thu, 01 Oct 2015 00:00:00 -0400

Alliant’s partnership with Bio-Rad Laboratories continues to reap enormous benefits.

Checking Field Thermometer Accuracy

Tue, 21 Apr 2015 04:00:00 -0400

Need an accurate thermometer? Here’s a how-to guide for calibrating and validating your field thermometer.

Lab Outsourcing: What You Need to Know

Mon, 15 Dec 2014 00:05:00 -0500

Outsourcing is not for everyone, and many companies operate highly efficient internal laboratories.