To address the trend of food manufacturers intentionally adding sesame to food products that did not originally contain the allergen in an attempt to circumvent allergen cross-contact requirements, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has updated its draft guidance for industry on hazards analysis and preventive controls with a new chapter on avoiding allergen cross-contact and proper labeling.

Shellfish are filter feeders, and may concentrate microorganisms (bacteria and viruses), as well as natural toxins and chemicals if they are present in the growing waters. The current National Shellfish Sanitation Program (NSSP) dictates uniform requirements that every state must meet, with federal oversight provided by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). States are required by the NSSP to maintain minimum sanitation standards addressing issues such as water quality monitoring, harvest area enforcement, training of harvesters and dealers, processing, shipping, and handling.

Meal kits use a direct-to-consumer model of delivering perishable, pre-measured ingredients for pre-selected recipes that are then used to prepare and cook meals at home. Meal kits are likely to contain a variety of foods that may grow or be contaminated by pathogenic bacteria. Meal kit manufacturers also often repackage ingredients into plain or branded packaging, which can result in the consumption of unexpected ingredients or allergens.

Two reports by the National Advisory Committee on Microbiological Criteria for Foods (NACMCF) have advised the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service (USDA’s FSIS) on microbial testing of ready-to-eat (RTE) foods and the safety of recycled water in food production, respectively.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service (USDA’s FSIS) has released two generic Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point (HACCP) models—one for farm-raised catfish, and the other for wild-caught catfish.

A risk-based approach is rapidly being incorporated into food safety systems. This can be attributed to the efforts of regulatory agencies and non-governmental organizations to develop requirements for food businesses. This article examines these food safety systems from a systematic, risk-based approach to allow the food safety practitioner to develop and improve food safety.

Fish and shellfish farm-raised in the U.S. must meet rigorous standards for food safety and quality, as well as environmental impact. Seafood processors, packers, and warehouses comply with the mandatory requirements of the Food and Drug Administration's Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points (HACCP). This article takes a deep dive into the many regulations that make U.S. farm-raised seafood one of the safest, healthiest, and most sustainable foods available to the consumer.

During a Tuesday afternoon workshop of the 2022 Food Safety Summit, regulators and the regulated industry shared suggestions for how to better communicate together and meet regulated requirements while maintaining a sensible level of operational necessity.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service (USDA FSIS) has released a new HACCP Model for certain meat and poultry products that receive a full lethality heat process step.

Understanding the types of violations observed during inspections is a requirement for correctly citing a violation and providing quality feedback to the facility operator. Breakdowns in this chain of communication can lead to additional inspections and possible enforcement actions, which waste valuable time, money, and effort. To ensure that this chain is firm, inspectors are provided with access to training and continuing education, as needed, to properly identify violations and apply their guiding regulations.