The Court of Justice of the European Union has ruled to annul the European Commission’s 2019 classification of titanium dioxide, which is also known as E171 and is used to add white color to foods, as a carcinogen.

The European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) will be reevaluating the health risks posed by phthalates and replacement plasticizers used in food contact materials, and has recently published its scientific protocol for the hazard assessment of the substances.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service (USDA’s FSIS) has announced upcoming changes and expansions to its beef sampling and testing programs for Escherichia coli and Salmonella. 

The U.S. Food & Drug Administration (FDA) will hold an informational webinar on Wednesday, December 7, 2022, from 1:00–5:00 P.M. ET on the recently released Food Traceability Final Rule, issued under the FDA Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA).

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has completed its first premarket consultation for cultured meat (also known as “cell-based” or “lab-grown” meat), in response to a submission from company UPSIDE Foods, and has raised no questions about the products’ food safety. FDA expects cell-based meat products to be ready for the U.S. market in the near future.

The International Fresh Produce Association (IFPA) has shared its initial reactions to the newly published rule under the Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA)—Requirements for Additional Traceability Records for Certain Foods (Food Traceability Final Rule).

On November 15, 2022, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) issued its final rule on Requirements for Additional Traceability Records for Certain Foods (Food Traceability Final Rule) under the Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA) Section 204(d).

On November 10, 2022, U.S. President Joe Biden signed the National Security Memorandum-16 (NSM-16), which aims to strengthen the security and resilience of the U.S. food supply and agricultural systems. NSM-16 focuses on threats such as climate change, supply chain disruption, cyberattacks, worker safety and workplace development, and other topics.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has released an outline of a prevention strategy that is under development for Cronobacter sakazakii contamination of powdered infant formula and enhance food safety. A notable action includes supporting the elevation of Cronobacter sakazakii infection among infants as a nationally notifiable disease.

The European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) has published six key recommendations for advancing food safety based on discussions held at the recent ONE—Health, Environment, and Society—Conference.