Penn State University researchers have demonstrated the usefulness of wastewater monitoring for foodborne pathogen surveillance, after successfully isolating Salmonella from wastewater samples and linking them to clinical isolates from an existing foodborne illness outbreak.

Testing of all licensed dairy farms across the state of Massachusetts has produced 100 percent negative results for Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI) H5N1. Massachusetts is the first U.S. state to test all of its dairy herds for the virus.

A recent study has demonstrated that current sampling and testing methods for Campylobacter may overlook epidemiologically-important strains. The researchers suggest using optimized culture methods and analyzing multiple isolates per sample.

In this bonus episode of Food Safety Matters, we speak with Scott Gustin, M.S., Technical Advisor for Elanco Animal Health, about the crucial role that farm biosecurity plays in ensuring food safety, best practices for farm personnel, and the future landscape of biosecurity.

Following the deadly listeriosis outbreak tied to its product, Boar’s Head announced that it is indefinitely closing the facility and is discontinuing the liverwurst responsible, and has established a council of industry-leading experts to enhance the company’s food safety and quality programs.

With relation to circular agri-food production models, a recent article authored by Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) experts has explored the current and emerging risks, data gaps, and opportunities for food safety.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) have granted “Generally Recognized as Safe” (GRAS) status to INNEO, a food processing aid that uses antimicrobial peptides to eliminate Listeria monocytogenes in food.

A recent survey of the low-moisture food industry and relevant stakeholders has revealed the sector’s key food safety challenges and research needs related to food safety culture, sanitation, pathogen reduction, and technology adoption.

In this episode of Food Safety Matters, we speak to Brendan Niemira, Ph.D., a Research Microbiologist with the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Agricultural Research Service (USDA’s ARS), about his work developing cold plasma technology for microbial decontamination in food applications, and its potential to advance food safety.

A recent study found that, while alternative farming practices aimed at reducing water usage can lower greenhouse gas emissions and arsenic levels in rice, the same practices may also increase cadmium content in plants. The same study also demonstrated that no-till farming techniques raise the likelihood of mycotoxin contamination in crops.