Researchers are pointing to the food safety and public health threat of microplastics in wastewater, which can serve as a vehicle for pathogenic biofilm communities and antibiotics, introducing these hazards to the environment and crops, and even contributing to antimicrobial resistance (AMR).
The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has awarded grants to two Florida State University (FSU) professors for projects focused on food safety innovation—specifically, on the use of artificial intelligence (AI) to mitigate foodborne antimicrobial resistance, and for the development of a new Salmonella assay.
Between 2017 and 2019, Canadian public health laboratories transitioned to whole genome sequencing (WGS) for foodborne illness outbreak surveillance. A recent study shows the positive impact of this transition of national outbreak detection and response for important foodborne pathogens.
The challenge of mitigating E. coli in leafy greens calls for a rigorous, multifaceted approach that includes stringent sanitation practices, facility design optimization, and the use of advanced microbial control methods.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service (USDA-FSIS) will hold two virtual public meetings in December on its Salmonella Framework for Raw Poultry Products proposed rule. Registration is open.
Although the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) was investigating a grower of interest in Washington state, the agency has been unable to definitively implicate a grower in the Escherichia coli outbreak linked to onions supplied by Taylor Farms and served at McDonald’s.
An ongoing project by the Norwegian food research institute Nofima is investigating the efficacy of different treatment baths for Listeria monocytogenes decontamination on fish and fish products.
The Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) has completed its root cause investigation of the summer 2024 listeriosisoutbreak linked to plant-based Silk and Great Value milks. The agency was unable to confirm the primary source of the contamination, but found that the production facility was not compliant with testing requirements.