The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has issued a proposed exemption for certain cottage cheese products from the requirements of the Food Traceability Final Rule, fulfilling Subpart 204 of the Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA 204). 

The European Commission is taking strides to improve honey authenticity, including setting new origin labeling requirements, and the development of harmonized traceability requirements and improved methods of composition analysis and origin tracing. The Commission is assembling a group of experts called the “Honey Platform” to advise this work and is accepting applications.

So far, 12 severe cases of illness, including seizures, have been linked to the consumption of Diamond Shruumz brand mushroom-based chocolates and candies. The products are marketed as way to “microdose” (implying a drug-like effect), but also claim not to contain psychedelic substances.

The infant formula shortage of 2022 was precipitated by FDA’s delayed response to whistleblower complaints about contaminated product—a delay caused by the agency not having the necessary policies and procedures in place to address the issue at the time—according to a new report published by the U.S. DHHS’ Office of the Inspector General.

LSG Sky Chefs has selected Trustwell to develop its traceability recordkeeping system, which will bring the company into compliance with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA’s) Food Safety Modernization Act, Subpart 204 (FSMA 204).

An EU Member States expert committee has voted in support of a European Commission proposal to ban some bisphenols, including bisphenol A (BPA), in food contact materials.

The European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) has set new safe daily intake levels for iron, which can help inform risk managers involved in the production of iron supplements and iron-fortified food products.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service (USDA’s FSIS) is planning to implement new detection approaches in its laboratories and will update the associated Microbiology Laboratory Guidebook chapters.

On July 8, the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service (USDA-FSIS) will hold a webinar on the use of whole genome sequencing (WGS) to support FSIS’ food safety mission.

The African Union, with support from the International Livestock Research Institute (ILRI), is developing new guidelines to help African governments improve food safety across the continent’s vast informal food sector.