Microbiological Testing & Analysis

USDA-FSIS Publishes List of Validated Foodborne Pathogen Test Kits

Wed, 22 Apr 2026 05:00:00 -0400

The list includes kits validated for Salmonella, Campylobacter, Listeria, and Escherichia coli.

Food Safety Five Ep. 30: Can Food Safety be ‘Too Safe?’

hendersonb@bnpmedia.com (Bailee Henderson) — Tue, 21 Apr 2026 05:30:00 -0400

This episode of Food Safety Five discusses new academic publications exploring the limitations of a “zero-risk” approach to food safety and evaluating the limited benefits and trade-offs associated with intensified microbiological sampling.

EFSA Announces Third WGS Food Safety Conference

Fri, 17 Apr 2026 05:15:00 -0400

The third Science Meets Policy conference will take place September 2–3 in Rome, Italy, focused on helping EU competent authorities and industry members effectively implement new WGS data-sharing requirements for foodborne pathogens.

USDA-FSIS Updates WGS Laboratory Method

Mon, 13 Apr 2026 08:52:17 -0400

The updated Microbiology Laboratory Guidebook chapter on whole genome sequencing (WGS) of bacterial isolates now includes protocols for using both the Illumina MiSeq and MiSeq i100 sequencing platforms.

Abundant Drug Resistance Genes in Retail Foods Pose ‘Significant Public Health Concern,’ Researchers Find

Wed, 08 Apr 2026 05:00:00 -0400

Using metagenomic sequencing and qPCR, the study analyzed bacteria from produce, chicken meat, and RTE deli meats sold at retail stores in Tennessee. A high abundance and diversity of antibiotic resistance genes were identified, potentially contributing to the persistence and spread of antimicrobial resistance (AMR) in the food supply.

Food Microbiology Testing Methods: Listeria species

Tue, 07 Apr 2026 00:00:00 -0400

Unlike many other foodborne pathogens, Listeria can both survive and grow at refrigeration temperatures. This ability, along with the risk of cross-contamination to other foods and surfaces, contributes to its persistence in food processing environments and makes it a significant concern for food safety.

Testing Confirms Microbiological, Chemical Safety of Canadian Infant Formula, Children’s Foods

hendersonb@bnpmedia.com (Bailee Henderson) — Mon, 06 Apr 2026 05:00:00 -0400

The Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) recently published the findings from several food sampling and testing assignments for microbiological and chemical contaminants across a range of food categories. In general, the results were satisfactory.

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.

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.

Novel Test Detects Bacteria in Milk with 98 Percent Accuracy Using AI, Sensor Technology

Tue, 17 Mar 2026 09:29:55 -0400

The low-cost approach enables simultaneous detection of multiple foodborne pathogens and spoilage microorganisms in a shorter timeframe than traditional detection methods, without requiring advanced technical training.

Researchers Develop Colorimetric Sensor that Allows Naked-Eye E. coli Detection in Food

Fri, 13 Mar 2026 05:00:00 -0400

The platform uses a DNAzyme-crosslinked hydrogel that produces a visible color change when E. coli is present, enabling equipment-free, point-of-use detection. It successfully detected E. coli in a range of foods, even when other pathogens were present.

Congressional Bill Would Direct FDA to Enforce Stronger Infant Formula Safety Oversight

Thu, 12 Mar 2026 10:05:38 -0400

The Infant Formula Safety Modernization Act includes provisions about expanded pathogen testing requirements and compulsory environmental monitoring for infant formula manufacturers, among other mandates.

U.S. CDC Supports Moldova’s First Use of WGS in Foodborne Illness Outbreak Investigation

Wed, 11 Mar 2026 05:00:00 -0400

Marking the country’s first use of whole genome sequencing (WGS) in an active foodborne illness outbreak investigation, advanced genomics enabled Moldovan authorities to rapidly solve and respond to a salmonellosis outbreak that sickened more than 140 people in 2025.

Study Uses AI to Screen Milk Samples for Mycotoxin Contamination

Wed, 04 Mar 2026 05:00:00 -0500

The researchers positioned the machine learning model as a low-cost complement to traditional testing workflows, helping dairy processors enhance food safety while targeting laboratory resources.

FDA Funds Penn State Researchers to Continue Wastewater Monitoring for Foodborne Pathogens

Fri, 27 Feb 2026 06:00:00 -0500

The scientists will isolate and identify pathogens like Salmonella enterica and Listeria monocytogenes from Pennsylvania wastewater using whole genome sequencing (WGS), then work with the State Department of Health to connect isolates to foodborne illness outbreaks.

Study Demonstrates Effective Listeria Environmental Monitoring in Hydroponic Produce Facility

Thu, 26 Feb 2026 05:30:00 -0500

The researchers conducted environmental sampling throughout a controlled environment agriculture (CEA) operation and tested swabs for L. monocytogenes. Boot covers proved to be a useful tool for evaluating the effectiveness of cleaning and sanitation.

Drizzle Health Seeking Produce Industry Pilot Participants for Microbial Monitoring System

Mon, 23 Feb 2026 10:27:07 -0500

MagnaFlow is a new automated inline washwater analyzer that provides continuous, real-time visibility into the microbial loads present in post-harvest wash systems.

bioMérieux Introduces Solution for Addressing Microbial Spoilage

Fri, 20 Feb 2026 15:11:25 -0500

The SMARTBIOME platform combines high‑resolution DNA sequencing with bioinformatics and data science, an exclusive spoilage knowledge base, and expert consulting services to translate microbiological data into actionable insights.

Researchers Develop AI Tool for Accurate, Rapid Identification of Pathogens in Food Samples

Fri, 13 Feb 2026 05:30:00 -0500

The detection system was able to detect the presence of foodborne pathogens in complex food matrices as little as three hours with 0 percent false positives, 94 percent recall, and 100 percent precision.

Australian Study Finds WGS Saves Money by Preventing Thousands of Salmonella Illnesses

hendersonb@bnpmedia.com (Bailee Henderson) — Mon, 26 Jan 2026 05:00:00 -0500

Researchers estimate that the use of whole genome sequencing (WGS) for routine pathogen surveillance in Australia prevents up to 10,900 foodborne salmonellosis cases and delivers as much as $17 million in cost savings annually.

Researchers Develop Rapid Onsite Test for 16 Foodborne Pathogens

Tue, 20 Jan 2026 09:08:43 -0500

Automating the full pathogen detection workflow into a single device, the test can be operated with the press of a button and is designed for onsite use by non-specialists.

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.

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.

EU Provides Guidance on Shelf-Life Studies to Reflect New Listeria Criteria for RTE Foods

Wed, 07 Jan 2026 10:39:16 -0500

The European Commission has published a revised guidance document on monitoring and shelf-life studies for Listeria monocytogenes in ready-to-eat (RTE) foods in compliance with recent amendments to Regulation (EU) 2073/2005 on the microbiological criteria for foods.

Researchers Call for One Health Approach to Close Salmonella Surveillance Gap

Wed, 24 Dec 2025 05:00:00 -0500

A two-year study of Southeastern U.S. watersheds confirmed that surface water harbors complex, clinically relevant Salmonella populations that differ from food animal datasets—revealing critical gaps in understanding environmental Salmonella transmission and the need for robust One Health surveillance systems.

Researchers Developing Tests for Hepatitis A Virus that Overcome False Positives

Fri, 19 Dec 2025 12:34:59 -0500

Two research projects are investigating several novel techniques for detecting hepatitis A virus that eliminate false positives produced by inactivated, non-infectious RNA fragments—an issue that limits the usefulness of existing methods for indicating actual food safety risk.

EFSA Publishes Guidelines for Mandatory WGS Data Submission During Foodborne Illness Outbreaks

Mon, 15 Dec 2025 10:00:12 -0500

The European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) has published guidelines for reporting whole genome sequencing (WGS) data in compliance with Regulation (EU) 2025/179, which requires Member States to conduct WGS on the isolates of five important pathogens during the investigations of foodborne illness outbreaks and sets data-sharing parameters.

CFIA Sampling Program Finds 99 Percent of Food Compliant With Microbiological Standards

Fri, 05 Dec 2025 12:29:33 -0500

The Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) has published the latest National Microbiological Monitoring Program Annual Report for 2023–2024, which assesses domestic and imported food samples and industry environmental samples.

FDA Grants $1M to University of Illinois Researchers for Retail Meat AMR Surveillance

Wed, 03 Dec 2025 11:57:52 -0500

The sampling and testing project will support the National Antimicrobial Resistance Monitoring System (NARMS) by identifying trends and emerging risks from drug-resistant foodborne bacteria. Findings will be used to create a model that can help predict and address antimicrobial resistance (AMR) mitigation strategies.

WGS Finds High Genetic Diversity, AMR Among E. coli on UK Foods at Retail

hendersonb@bnpmedia.com (Bailee Henderson) — Fri, 07 Nov 2025 10:55:26 -0500

A UK-based study, led by Quadram Institute researchers, underscores the limitations of traditional enumeration methods for foodborne pathogen surveillance and highlights the need for whole genome sequencing (WGS) to better assess the food safety risk posed by commensal or opportunistic Escherichia coli lineages.