Members of Congress have written a letter to the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) asking the agency to answer questions about its inspection actions leading up to the fatal Boar’s Head listeriosis outbreak, and about its authorities and processes for preventing such events.
The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) has launched a research project to develop methods for the detection of microplastic contamination, which will be used to assess the prevalence of and exposure levels to micro- and nanoplastics in Indian food.
The European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) has published new guidance for industry on the submission of novel food applications, reflecting changes in the EU’s legal framework for novel foods.
In response to a FOIA petition submitted to USDA by the Associated Press, the agency chose to withhold the requested Boar’s Head inspection and enforcement reports on the grounds that they were being compiled for law enforcement purposes related to the recent listeriosis outbreak.
Small and midsized businesses striving for full compliance with the Preventive Controls for Human Food Rule (PCHF Rule) average $22,000 in upfront costs and $8,000 in every subsequent year, one study suggests.
In a September 25 public meeting and supplementary document, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) outlined its developing enhanced, systematic process for the post-market assessment of chemicals in food. The proposed process is open for public comment until December 6.
A Codex committee has advanced work on Draft Guidelines on the Prevention and Control of Food Fraud, although consensus on parts of the guideline has not been reached.
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has updated the Mycotoxins in Domestic and Imported Human Foods Compliance Program to include T-2/HT-2 toxins and zearalenone, and to reflect the use of a new multi-mycotoxin method for analysis in human foods.
Designed for Salinas Valley, California growers, an ongoing project supported by the Center for Produce Safety will leverage existing science and consider unique farming operation factors to create a user-friendly tool that assesses Escherichia coli contamination risk and provides actionable mitigation measures.
Rep. Rosa DeLauro’s Toxic Free Food Act would require the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to overhaul the “generally recognized as safe” (GRAS) process, calling it a “loophole” that allows substances to secretly enter the food supply without adequate safety review.