Here we explore foodborne illness outbreak investigations related to coconuts, highlight the challenges experienced, and share the food safety lessons learned.

Foreign material control is imperative in food processing, so creating the right culture, setting high expectations, and developing strong detection capabilities are key.

Whole-genome sequencing has changed how the identification of outbreaks and harborage organisms is performed.

Food safety testing volumes are increasing and focus on Listeria.

Whole-genome sequencing is a common tool for outbreak detection and investigation.

No trend has been reported as being more impactful than the increase in the amount of analytical testing being conducted—especially the increase in testing for microorganisms.

A new approach for significantly improving detection probabilities and reducing the need for manual verification of foreign material contamination of food products is described.

Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli strains can cause foodborne illness, necessitating the expansion of testing for these organisms.

The ability to rapidly detect the presence of viable pathogens along the production chain is essential for determining intervention and control strategies.