Supply Chain

Better Use of Restaurant Inspection Data Could Help Prevent Foodborne Illness Outbreaks

hendersonb@bnpmedia.com (Bailee Henderson) — Wed, 13 May 2026 05:00:00 -0400

In a new peer-reviewed article, researchers make a case for linking data from both routine foodservice establishment inspections and foodborne illness surveillance, while acknowledging existing challenges, like inconsistent adoption of FDA’s Food Code and electronic data collection systems.

Food Fraud Prevention Meets Supply Chain Digitalization: Why Old Systems are Not Enough

Wed, 13 May 2026 00:00:00 -0400

Supply chains are going digital, omnichannel operations are becoming the norm, and automation is everywhere. This should be good news for food fraud prevention. More data should mean more visibility, but in reality, it also creates more opportunities for both prevention and exploitation.

Report: ‘Ultra-Processed’ Classification Does Not Reliably Indicate Nutritional Value

Tue, 12 May 2026 05:00:00 -0400

However, ultra-processed foods were consistently more affordable and dominated total U.S. grocery sales. The report, commissioned by IFIC, suggests that dietary recommendations and discussions about UPFs must be grounded in real-world consumer behavior, rather than treating these products as easily avoidable, and consider nutritional value.

THAIFEX—ANUGA ASIA 2026 Boasts 3,600 Exhibitors from 56 Countries

Fri, 08 May 2026 17:06:07 -0400

The global food and beverage trade exhibition will take place on May 26–30 at IMPACT Muang Thong Thani, Bangkok, under the theme “BIGGER, BETTER, BOLDER,” welcoming food buyers and importers from more than 130 countries worldwide.

Parts Town Enhances Digital Tools to Help Foodservice Industry Find Equipment Repair Parts

Thu, 07 May 2026 13:42:04 -0400

The PartPredictor tool and other digital resources offered by Parts Town have been updated to better help foodservice industry users find the right Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM) parts, improve first-time fix rates, and reduce equipment downtime.

Agralink Expands Poultry Farm Monitoring System

Mon, 04 May 2026 13:12:06 -0400

Agralarm’s newly released features include water meter monitoring, smarter dry contact sensor capabilities, scheduled reporting, and custom call lists.

Aldi's Decision to Ban 44 Food Additives Gets Ahead of Regulatory Uncertainty

hendersonb@bnpmedia.com (Bailee Henderson) — Fri, 01 May 2026 12:39:08 -0400

Responding to growing consumer and regulatory demand for “natural” foods, the decision builds on Aldi’s removal of 13 synthetic colorants from its portfolio more than ten years ago. The grocer announced this ban while Congress, states, and industry debate ingredient oversight.

Survey of U.S. Food Handlers Reveals Food Safety Knowledge Strengths, Opportunities to Improve Training

hendersonb@bnpmedia.com (Bailee Henderson) — Thu, 30 Apr 2026 11:56:04 -0400

Conducted by NEHA and FDA, a survey of more than 2,700 retail food handlers has revealed strong food safety knowledge overall, with room for improvement in certain areas. The findings support recommendations for enhancing training programs.

Food Safety Insights and the 2026 Food Safety Summit

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

This article previews upcoming sessions at the 2026 Food Safety Summit and ties in topical learnings from recent Food Safety Insights columns.

Ep. 216. Sandro Tarchini: Driving Global Food Traceability, Authenticity with Blockchain

Tue, 28 Apr 2026 02:30:00 -0400

In this episode of Food Safety Matters, we speak to Sandro Tarchini of the Cardano Foundation, a nonprofit dedicated to advancing the blockchain ecosystem, about the applications for blockchain throughout the food supply chain and how it can improve farm-to-retail traceability and transparency.

Virginia Passes Law Requiring Allergen Markers on Delivery, Takeout Foods

Tue, 14 Apr 2026 16:32:39 -0400

Per the new law, restaurants must place an identifying marker on any food item prepared for delivery or takeout that has been altered or substituted due to a consumer-identified food allergy or sensitivity.

CEA Alliance Publishes Updated Food Safety Guide for Leafy Greens, Herbs

Tue, 14 Apr 2026 10:06:40 -0400

Controlled environment agriculture (CEA) is a unique food production system with its own food safety risks and considerations.

Sustainable Fertilizer Practice Causes Increased Cadmium in Rice, Study Shows

Tue, 14 Apr 2026 08:52:20 -0400

Large-scale recycled manure use—a circular agriculture approach used to combat soil acidification that reduces crop yield—can lead to the accumulation of cadmium in soil, which is then taken up by rice crops, affecting food safety.

FDA to Hold Town Halls on Food Traceability Rule Implementation

Thu, 09 Apr 2026 15:19:14 -0400

Registration is now open for the virtual meetings on FSMA 204, which will be jointly hosted with the Partnership for Food Traceability. FDA is interested in hearing stakeholder feedback on lot-level traceability efforts, industry challenges, and potential solutions.

AI-Powered Platform Offers Real-Time, End-to-End Visibility for Manufacturers, Distributors

Thu, 09 Apr 2026 12:35:59 -0400

Peak Automation Intelligence by Peak Technologies uses machine vision, smart optics, mobile computing, and unified analytics to provide an automated view of pallets and packages, material movement, and dock workflow.

Initial Tests Show Promise for Novel Protein-Based Biopesticide

Wed, 08 Apr 2026 11:30:15 -0400

In a partnership with Syngenta, early laboratory testing demonstrated the activity of novel bioactive ingredients, developed with Biotalys’ AGROBODY technology, against a specific insect crop pest.

NEHA–FDA Retail Program Standards Symposium to Take Place in April

Mon, 30 Mar 2026 15:58:58 -0400

The free, virtual event for state, local, tribal, and territorial jurisdictions will deliver practical insights on advancing retail food safety in compliance with FDA’s Voluntary National Retail Food Regulatory Program Standards.

Study Explores Whether an Area’s Density of ‘Healthy’ Food Retail Outlets Affects Foodborne Illness Risk

Fri, 27 Mar 2026 05:00:00 -0400

The Canadian-based study represents some of the first evidence linking an area’s retail food environment, including the density of “healthy” and fast food outlets, with recorded food safety infractions as a proxy for foodborne illness risk.

Researchers Investigate Microbial Risks to Produce Growers’ Groundwater Quality, Irrigation Systems

Thu, 26 Mar 2026 13:29:01 -0400

The Center for Produce Safety-funded project aims to generate practical guidance for produce growers, including improved sampling approaches to determine whether groundwater is influenced by surface water, and immediately actionable recommendations for mitigating microbial contamination and biofilms in irrigation systems.

FDA Highlights Successful Mexico-U.S. Effort to Eliminate Salmonella Outbreaks from Papayas

Wed, 18 Mar 2026 06:00:00 -0400

No U.S. Salmonella outbreaks linked to Mexican papayas have been identified since 2020 thanks to collaborative efforts between regulators and industry in both countries. The case study could serve as a framework for improving food safety in other commodities and global supply chains.

Moringa Supply Chains Under Scrutiny: What Recent Contamination Cases Reveal About Botanical Ingredient Risks

Tue, 17 Mar 2026 10:00:00 -0400

Recent contamination incidents involving moringa products draw attention to supply chain vulnerabilities that affect many botanical ingredients used in the global natural health industry. These events offer an opportunity to examine where problems can emerge and how companies can better protect consumer safety.

FAO, WHO Request Data on Microbial Food Safety Impacts of Frozen Storage Temperatures

Fri, 13 Mar 2026 11:21:53 -0400

The information gathered will be used to support FAO/WHO scientific advice intended to inform future Codex Alimentarius discussions on frozen food handling guidance.

LSU Researchers are Developing Farm-to-Packaging Produce Safety Strategies

Fri, 13 Mar 2026 05:30:00 -0400

The Achyut Adhikari Research Group is conducting several projects focused on preventive, FSMA-aligned strategies to reduce microbiological risks during pre-harvest and processing of produce, including hydroponic production, manure fertilizer treatment, food-contact surface sanitation, and antimicrobial packaging development.

UK-EU Trade Agreement Would Harmonize Certain Food Safety Rules by Mid-2027

Tue, 10 Mar 2026 11:52:41 -0400

UK businesses will be required to align with relevant EU regulatory requirements within the scope of the Sanitary and Phytosanitary (SPS) agreement, regardless of whether they export to the EU or sell only to the UK market.

EU Launches AI Traceability Platform to Strengthen Detection of Food Fraud, Safety Risks

Tue, 10 Mar 2026 10:08:06 -0400

TraceMap supports national authorities in identifying food safety threats and improving EU-wide coordinated response. A pilot version of TraceMap was recently used to support the investigation of globally distributed cereulide-contaminated infant formula.

Study Shows Drinking Water Quality Significantly Impacts Salmonella Vaccines for Poultry

Fri, 06 Mar 2026 05:00:00 -0500

Elevated levels of certain metals and the presence of commonly used disinfectants were found to inactivate Salmonella vaccines administered to poultry via drinking water.

FDA Releases Initial Findings from Foodborne Pathogen Study in California Growing Region

Thu, 05 Mar 2026 16:01:39 -0500

The California Longitudinal Study, a five-year environmental study of California’s Central Coast produce-growing region, identified wildlife, livestock, and surface water as potential contributors to the persistence and movement of Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli (STEC).

Large Grocery Retailer Using ReposiTrak Becomes First to Achieve Full FSMA 204 Compliance

Tue, 03 Mar 2026 16:14:50 -0500

ReposiTrak asserts that this use case provides evidence that large-scale, automated traceability in compliance with FDA’s Food Traceability Rule is both operationally feasible and economically practical.

NCCO Introduces Handheld Food Product Labeling Device

Tue, 03 Mar 2026 14:32:03 -0500

The portable DateCodeGenie Mini allows operators in foodservice and food retail establishments to apply harmonized labels to products, which can be updated through a centralized digital portal.

Study Underlines Underappreciated Risks of Refrigerators: Microbial Communities, AMR, Inadequate Hygiene

Mon, 02 Mar 2026 05:30:00 -0500

In an analysis of domestic refrigerator swabs, researchers discovered complex microbial communities harboring foodborne pathogens and antimicrobial resistance (AMR). The findings also suggested that regular cleaning is possibly more important than temperature control in managing these communities.