More than 200 food safety experts across 14 countries in Asia and the Pacific have been trained in the use of the use of nuclear techniques to test for microbial and chemical hazards, through a project led by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) and the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA). 

The European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) will be reevaluating the health risks posed by phthalates and replacement plasticizers used in food contact materials, and has recently published its scientific protocol for the hazard assessment of the substances.

This article covers U.S. regulatory oversight in establishing pesticide residue tolerances, testing for residues in domestic goods and imports, and the importance of science-based standards for global trade and food safety.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service (USDA’s FSIS) has issued Changes to Accreditation of Non-Federal Analytical Testing Laboratories, which expands the scope of its Accredited Laboratory Program to include microbial and chemical testing.

The European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) has published its 2020 EU report on pesticide residue levels in food, including a dietary risk assessment.