Inspection

India Approves Food Safety Regulatory Reforms, Introduces Risk-Based Inspection

Wed, 18 Mar 2026 05:00:00 -0400

The changes affect registration and licensing rules for food business operators, including specific reforms for street vendor registration, that aim to simplify compliance and reduce regulatory burden. A new technology-enabled, risk-based inspection system has also been introduced.

Gearing Up for an FDA Inspection

rickstier4@aol.com (Richard F. Stier, M.S.) — Tue, 03 Mar 2026 10:00:00 -0500

Every food processor, food handler, or other food operator under FDA jurisdiction should have a program in place to deal with an FDA inspection. This column explains what this program should include and how to work with FDA investigators during an inspection.

USDA-FSIS Proposes to Permanently Raise Line Speed Limits at Swine, Poultry Slaughter Establishments

hendersonb@bnpmedia.com (Bailee Henderson) — Wed, 18 Feb 2026 12:42:24 -0500

Establishments operating under the New Swine Slaughter Inspection System (NSIS) would be allowed to determine their own line speeds, and New Poultry Inspection System (NPIS) establishment line speeds would be raised.

Food Safety Spending Cuts Associated with Fewer Hygiene Interventions by England Authorities, Study Shows

hendersonb@bnpmedia.com (Bailee Henderson) — Wed, 04 Feb 2026 12:31:43 -0500

Although food safety spending cuts were associated with local authority staffing reductions and decreases in the number of official food hygiene interventions, industry compliance was not negatively affected.

USDA Updates Guidance to Reflect Expanded Listeria Oversight in RTE Facilities

Mon, 19 Jan 2026 17:42:38 -0500

USDA-FSIS has reissued its guidance on testing for Listeria species other than Listeria monocytogenes in ready-to-eat (RTE) food production facilities to reflect expansions made to the agency’s testing method and enforcement actions.

Auditors Find EU Countries Do Not Consistently Check Safety, Authenticity of Olive Oil

hendersonb@bnpmedia.com (Bailee Henderson) — Fri, 16 Jan 2026 05:30:00 -0500

In a new report, the EU Court of Auditors say control systems for olive oil are “comprehensive but unevenly applied,” with some Member States inconsistently conducting contamination, authenticity, and traceability checks.

FDA Warning Letter Provides Insight Into Fresh and Ready Foods RTE Listeria Outbreak

Mon, 17 Nov 2025 13:53:22 -0500

FDA recently released a warning letter dated September 5, 2025, issued to Fresh and Ready Foods LLC, a ready-to-eat (RTE) foods producer that was implicated in a multi-state, multi-year listeriosis outbreak.

Congresswoman Presses FDA to Release ByHeart Inspection Records Amid Infant Botulism Outbreak

Mon, 17 Nov 2025 12:37:15 -0500

Clostridium botulinum-contaminated ByHeart-brand formula has sickened at least 23 babies across 13 states. FDA inspection reports and warning letters have come to light showing a history of food safety and hygiene violations at the company’s production facilities.

Federal Workforce Data Reveal Impact of Trump Admin RIFs on USDA Food Safety Expertise

hendersonb@bnpmedia.com (Bailee Henderson) — Mon, 17 Nov 2025 11:29:57 -0500

A new analysis of U.S. Office of Personnel Management (OPM) data conducted by the National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition (NSAC) quantified the impact of federal workforce cuts on experts and inspectors within USDA-FSIS and USDA-APHIS.

Analysis Shows FDA Foreign Facility Inspections Hit Historic Low After Trump Admin Cuts

hendersonb@bnpmedia.com (Bailee Henderson) — Thu, 06 Nov 2025 11:31:32 -0500

Foreign food safety inspections conducted by FDA have hit a historic low due to Trump Administration budget and staff cuts, according to an investigative report by ProPublica.

Food Safety Five Ep. 17: Strengthening Food Safety for Food-Allergic Consumers

hendersonb@bnpmedia.com (Bailee Henderson) — Tue, 07 Oct 2025 07:30:00 -0400

This episode of Food Safety Five discusses allergen news in the EU, where experts recommend “hidden” food allergens for mandatory labeling, and in the U.S., where USDA-FSIS is adding gluten to its allergen verification activities.

USDA-FSIS Now Includes Gluten in Major Allergen Verification Activities

Thu, 25 Sep 2025 11:24:33 -0400

Although gluten is not one of the Big 9 major food allergens, USDA inspectors will now verify that establishments producing meat, poultry, and egg products are accurately controlling and labeling gluten similar to the Big 9 major food allergens.

New Software for UK Local Authorities Aims to Ease National Food Safety Inspection Backlog

Wed, 17 Sep 2025 15:45:52 -0400

Grape Software’s Grape INSPECT is purpose-built for UK Environmental Health Officers, to make food hygiene inspections easier and faster as the nation struggles to keep up with the number of businesses due for inspection.

Ep. 201. Mick Dutcher: The Work of FDA OII's Food Products Inspectorate

Tue, 09 Sep 2025 02:30:00 -0400

In this episode of Food Safety Matters, we speak with Dr. Mick Dutcher, the Deputy Associate Commissioner for Food Products at FDA’s Office of Inspections and Investigations (OII), about the work of the Food Products Inspectorate and its activities to ensure food safety.

Protein Processing Act Would Lift Pork, Poultry Line Speed Limits if Food Safety Criteria Are Met

hendersonb@bnpmedia.com (Bailee Henderson) — Fri, 05 Sep 2025 14:22:51 -0400

Following years of line speed waiver extensions and worker safety trials under modernized swine/poultry slaughter inspection pilot programs, the American Protein Processing Act would lift line speed limits in pork and poultry processing facilities that meet food safety criteria set by USDA.

Research Study: Impact of Food Safety on Food Establishments in Dubai

Wed, 03 Sep 2025 11:00:51 -0400

With Dubai receiving about nine million metric tons of food annually, having over 26,000 food establishments, and being home to more than 200 nationalities, the scale—and the stakes—for food safety are enormous.

USDA Taking Over Boar’s Head Inspections From State Officials at Plant Responsible for Outbreak

hendersonb@bnpmedia.com (Bailee Henderson) — Wed, 27 Aug 2025 12:11:18 -0400

Boar’s Head is reopening its Jarratt, Virginia plant that produced the deli meats behind a fatal listeriosis outbreak in 2024; however, inspections of the facility are being taken over by UDSA-FSIS directly, instead of relying on a state cooperative agreement.

USDA-FSIS Proposes Changes to Post-Mortem Swine Inspection

Mon, 25 Aug 2025 12:25:50 -0400

USDA-FSIS has proposed a rule that would remove mandatory mandibular lymph node incision and viscera palpation requirements in swine slaughter establishments.

Boar’s Head to Reopen Facility Behind Fatal Listeria Outbreak While Other Plants Remain Insanitary

Tue, 12 Aug 2025 11:20:14 -0400

Boar’s Head is planning to reopen a production plant that was linked to a deadly, multistate listeriosis outbreak in 2024. Meanwhile, inspection reports obtained by the Associated Press show that insanitary conditions similar to those that caused the outbreak continue to plague other Boar’s Head facilities.

FDA Issues Final Guidance for Industry on its Use of Remote Regulatory Assessments

Thu, 03 Jul 2025 14:43:45 -0400

FDA recently published a final guidance for industry to describe and answer questions about FDA’s use of remote regulatory assessments (RRAs) to oversee and assure compliance of FDA-regulated products, outside of the COVID-19 pandemic.

UK Food Agencies Concerned about Resources Available for Safety Inspections

Fri, 27 Jun 2025 00:00:00 -0400

Local authorities have been managing high volumes of overdue inspections accumulated during the COVID-19 pandemic. Despite some workforce growth, backlog issues persisted in 2024.

Judge Orders Most Agencies to Pause Mass Layoffs for at Least Two Weeks

Mon, 12 May 2025 00:00:00 -0400

The pause comes in the form of a temporary restraining order that Judge Susan Illston says she granted so as to “protect the power of the legislative branch.”

FDA Announces Expanded Use of Unannounced Inspections at Foreign Manufacturing Facilities

Wed, 07 May 2025 00:00:21 -0400

Agency says the change aims to ensure that foreign companies receive the same level of regulatory oversight and scrutiny as U.S. domestic companies.

Food Safety Summit's 13th Annual Town Hall to Offer Candid Conversation on the Future of Food Safety

Wed, 30 Apr 2025 00:00:10 -0400

On the morning of Thursday, May 15, food safety professionals from across the country will gather for one of the Food Safety Summit's most anticipated events—the 13th Annual Town Hall session titled, "A Candid Dialogue on the Future of Food Safety."

FDA Suspends Milk Quality Testing Amid Health and Human Services Cuts

Wed, 30 Apr 2025 00:00:00 -0400

The Food Emergency Response Network Proficiency Testing Program is currently paused but will resume once transferred to another FDA laboratory.

FDA Reportedly Reinstating Some Fired Food Safety Scientists, Inspection Support Staff

Tue, 29 Apr 2025 11:25:07 -0400

According to the New York Times and CBS News, some fired FDA food safety scientists and terminated FDA food safety labs are being reinstated, as well as several dozen inspectoral support staff, following mass layoffs handed down from the Trump Administration.

FSA Shares Ongoing Efforts to Modernize Meat Industry Regulation

Fri, 25 Apr 2025 14:41:45 -0400

In an April 25 speech, UK Food Standards Agency (FSA) Chief Executive Katie Pettifer described efforts FSA is taking to improve meat industry regulation, including supporting the adoption of new technologies, negotiating international trade agreements, addressing inspector and veterinarian workforce shortages, evaluating inspection charge discounts, and tackling food crime.

Rumored FDA Budget Proposal Would Cut Funding, Move Routine Food Inspections to States

hendersonb@bnpmedia.com (Bailee Henderson) — Fri, 18 Apr 2025 12:01:01 -0400

FDA is rumored to face significant budget cuts proposed by the White House that would shift 100 percent of the responsibility for routine food facility inspections to states. Additionally, due to layoffs, FDA has suspended its proficiency testing program for food testing laboratories and its efforts to bolster avian influenza testing in food products.

As U.S. Pieces Together How HHS Cuts are Affecting Food Safety, Stakeholders Speak Out

hendersonb@bnpmedia.com (Bailee Henderson) — Mon, 07 Apr 2025 14:56:45 -0400

As promised by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) at the end of March, thousands of layoffs at FDA and CDC have begun. A hazy picture of how those cuts are affecting food safety-related positions is beginning to emerge, and stakeholders and legislators are voicing their opposition.

Key Federal Food Safety Advisory Committees, NACMCF and NACMPI, Have Been Terminated

hendersonb@bnpmedia.com (Bailee Henderson) — Fri, 07 Mar 2025 08:51:55 -0500

Two key advisory committees, responsible for providing impartial scientific advice to federal public health agencies (USDA, FDA, CDC) relative to food safety, have been terminated: the National Advisory Committee on Microbiological Criteria for Foods (NACMCF) and National Advisory Committee on Meat and Poultry Inspection (NACMPI).