News

EU Introduces Regulations for Crops Bred Through New Genomic Techniques

Tue, 28 Apr 2026 11:50:41 -0400

According to the European Commission, NGTs have the potential to contribute to sustainable agri-food systems and help respond to food security challenges. The new rules would separate plants developed through NGTs from legislation applying to GMOs.

Bill Reintroduced to Allow FDA to Share Information with State Agencies During Foodborne Illness Outbreaks

Tue, 28 Apr 2026 08:29:48 -0400

The Federal and State Food Safety Information Sharing Act of 2026 would give FDA the authority to share information with state and local regulatory agencies with shared responsibility for protecting public health.

Study Finds Cold Plasma Treatment Reduces Peanut Allergenicity

Mon, 27 Apr 2026 10:57:02 -0400

The researchers believe that the approach could be applied to reduce the allergenicity of other foods while maintaining functional properties.

Saudi FDA Advances Global Food Safety Cooperation at IHFAF

Mon, 27 Apr 2026 09:28:08 -0400

The Seventh Annual Meeting of the International Heads of Food Agencies Forum (IHFAF), a summit convening the heads of international food safety agencies and senior representatives from the Codex Alimentarius Commission, concluded in Auckland, New Zealand, on April 24.

FRESH Act Aims to Preempt State Food Safety Laws, Proposes Controversial GRAS Reforms

hendersonb@bnpmedia.com (Bailee Henderson) — Fri, 24 Apr 2026 14:54:15 -0400

The draft bill proposes sweeping reforms to FDA’s food safety oversight, including GRAS process changes, infant and baby food safety provisions, and federal preemption of state laws. Consumer groups say the FRESH Act’s GRAS reforms and federal preemption language would weaken U.S. food safety.

Bill Reintroduced to Overhaul Front-of-Pack Food Labels, Ingredients Lists

Fri, 24 Apr 2026 09:06:52 -0400

Among other provisions, the Food Labeling Modernization Act would set conditions for the use of the terms “natural” and “healthy,” expedite the creation of a front-of-pack nutrition labeling system, and improve ingredient list readability.

Congress to Hold Legislative Hearing on 28 Active Bills Related to Food Safety, FDA

Fri, 24 Apr 2026 08:21:16 -0400

The bills to be discussed address issues like “Generally Recognized as Safe” (GRAS) determinations, food chemical safety reassessments, food labeling, infant formula and baby food safety, information-sharing between federal and state agencies, additional FDA authorities for human foods oversight, and other topics.

Fatal French HUS Outbreak Caused by Globally Emerging, Hybrid E. coli Strain Affected Only Adults

hendersonb@bnpmedia.com (Bailee Henderson) — Fri, 24 Apr 2026 05:00:00 -0400

In 2025, a genetically unique hybrid STEC/STEC strain was the cause of a foodborne illness outbreak that affected exclusively adults, with 90 percent of patients developing hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS) and three deaths occurring.

USDA Announces Reorganization of Food Safety and Inspection Service

Thu, 23 Apr 2026 16:58:37 -0400

The plan includes the creation of a new, central National Food Safety Center in Iowa and Science Center in Georgia. Approximately 200 (two-thirds) of USDA-FSIS’ Washington D.C.-area workforce will be relocated. Other USDA offices, including ARS and NIFA, also face restructuring and relocations.

Higher Temperatures, Fat Content May Increase Chemical Migration from Biodegradable Food Packaging

hendersonb@bnpmedia.com (Bailee Henderson) — Thu, 23 Apr 2026 05:00:00 -0400

A recent study evaluated the migration of non-intentionally added substances from biodegradable food contact materials (FCMs) under different conditions. The researchers underlined the importance of optimizing polymer blends and processing, and considering chemical analysis in FCM risk assessment.

New York Poised to Ban Certain Food Additives, Require GRAS Ingredient Transparency

hendersonb@bnpmedia.com (Bailee Henderson) — Wed, 22 Apr 2026 10:21:29 -0400

The Food Safety and Chemical Disclosure Act would mandate public disclosures of “Generally Recognized as Safe” substances used in foods manufactured or sold in New York. It has passed the Assembly and Senate, and now awaits the Governor’s signature into law.

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.

Trump Names Former Deputy Surgeon General as Nominee for CDC Director

hendersonb@bnpmedia.com (Bailee Henderson) — Tue, 21 Apr 2026 13:48:17 -0400

Erica Schwartz, M.D., M.P.H., J.D. is a retired Rear Admiral in the U.S. Public Health Service Commissioned Corps, who has held medical leadership positions in both the U.S. Coast Guard and Navy.

Singapore Food Agency Publishes List of Approved Novel Foods

Tue, 21 Apr 2026 11:59:13 -0400

Novel foods approved for import and sale in Singapore include cultivated chicken and quail, mycoprotein, algal and fungal biomasses, precision-fermented sodium salts, and other foods.

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.

FAO Highlights Importance of Group B Streptococcus ST283 as Atypical Foodborne Disease

Tue, 21 Apr 2026 05:00:00 -0400

Associated with freshwater fish consumption and handling, GBS ST283 causes invasive infections, including meningitis, septic arthritis, and bacteremia. WGS has played a central role in recognizing the pathogen as a foodborne hazard. FAO has identified GBS ST283 as a hazard requiring structured risk profiling.

Stakeholders Say Codex Emergency Food Labeling Provisions Could Compromise Infant Formula Safety

hendersonb@bnpmedia.com (Bailee Henderson) — Mon, 20 Apr 2026 11:16:45 -0400

At the upcoming 49^th Session of the Codex Committee on Food Labeling (CCFL49), CCFL will consider draft guidelines on applying food labeling provisions during emergencies. Infant and maternal health groups oppose these guidelines, saying they could harm vulnerable populations.

40 Sick, One Dead in German Salmonella Outbreak Involving Chocolate-Hazelnut Spread

hendersonb@bnpmedia.com (Bailee Henderson) — Mon, 20 Apr 2026 09:05:22 -0400

The outbreak strain of Salmonella Bochum is extremely rare. Children and adolescents aged 2–15 years represent 75 percent of outbreak patients. Patient interviews and a case-control study point to a certain brand of chocolate-hazelnut spread as the vehicle of illness.

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.

Despite Differences in Processed Food Categorization Systems, Consistent Health, Nutrition Associations Emerge

hendersonb@bnpmedia.com (Bailee Henderson) — Fri, 17 Apr 2026 05:00:00 -0400

Researchers at Johns Hopkins University analyzed how four major food processing classification systems (including the NOVA “ultra-processed” definition) differ in categorizing foods and how those differences may influence nutrition research, public health, and policy.

USDA Creates Office of Seafood

Thu, 16 Apr 2026 15:04:34 -0400

One of the primary roles of the new office will be coordinating across USDA agencies to ensure fishermen are integrated into USDA programs.

FDA Finds E. coli in Raw Farm Cheese Matching a Second Outbreak

Thu, 16 Apr 2026 13:12:09 -0400

During its investigation of an ongoing Escherichia coli O157:H7 outbreak involving Raw Farm-brand unpasteurized cheddar cheese, FDA detected E. coli in a product sample not matching the current outbreak strain, but instead matching a strain from a different 2025 outbreak.

Study Shows Poor Recovery of Listeria Using Cotton Swabs for Environmental Monitoring

Thu, 16 Apr 2026 05:00:00 -0400

Sponges far outperformed cotton swabs in laboratory experiments and real-world sampling in an RTE food production facility. The findings align with existing recommendations supporting the use of sponge-based sampling with neutralizers for environmental monitoring.

Persistent, Multidrug-Resistant Salmonella Strain is Growing Cause of Poultry Contamination, Human Infections

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

Per CDC and USDA-FSIS data, in 2023, Salmonella Infantis strain REPJFX01 accounted for 97 percent of S. Infantis isolates and 21 percent of all Salmonella recovered from chicken carcasses. This rising trend is closely aligned with an increase in human salmonellosis infections linked to REPJFX01.

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.

California Bill Aims to Ban PFAS Pesticides

Tue, 14 Apr 2026 09:46:56 -0400

AB 1603 would prohibit the registration of pesticides containing intentionally added PFAS in the state.

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 Finds Adulteration in 4 Percent of Honey Samples

Mon, 13 Apr 2026 13:39:46 -0400

In 2025, FDA sampled domestic and imported honey to detect food fraud. Consistent with previous years, the rate of fraud was low, but still high enough to emphasize the ongoing vulnerability of honey to economically motivated adulteration.

CDC Reports Emergence of Extensively Drug-Resistant Shigella

Mon, 13 Apr 2026 09:27:42 -0400

The proportion of extensively drug-resistant isolates rose from 0 percent during 2011–2015 to 8.5 percent in 2023.

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.