The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has released the CORE 2022 Annual Report—the first report of its kind—summarizing the investigations of foodborne illness outbreaks and adverse events involving FDA-regulated foods conducted by the Coordinated Outbreak Response and Evaluation (CORE) Network. 

Scientists from the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Agricultural Research Service (USDA’s ARS) have provided new insight into the ability of Salmonella to survive and adapt in food processing facilities through interactions with environmental biofilms.

Research commissioned by the UK Food Standards Agency (FSA) has provided insight to ongoing staffing issues experienced by UK food control authorities, and how recruitment and retention can be improved. FSA aims to take action on these findings. 

As of January 1, 2024, food products containing edible insects may only remain on the market in Great Britain if a novel food application for that edible insect species was submitted to the UK Food Standards Agency (FSA) on or before December 31, 2023. To help businesses comply with novel food regulations regarding edible insects, FSA published has a guidance.

A recent revision to Directive 8080.1 by the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service (USDA’s FSIS) now includes egg products a commodity subject to recall under the Directive, outlining instructions for large-scale recalls and recalls of ingredients regulated by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA).

The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Agricultural Research Service (USDA’s ARS) is looking into the antimicrobial properties of mushroom extracts and how they can enhance food safety against aflatoxin-producing fungus and bacteria.

The European Commission has officially voted to renew approval of the use of the controversial herbicide glyphosate in the EU until December 15, 2033.

In this episode of Food Safety Matters, we review the top food safety stories of 2023 and their implications, covering regulatory changes in the U.S. and abroad; growing concerns about chemical additives and contaminants, allergens, traceability requirements, infant formula, and retail foodservice safety; and the Poisoned documentary that premiered on Netflix in summer 2023.

Effective December 31, 2023, Michelle Catlin, Ph.D. will serve as Chief Scientist of the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service (USDA’s FSIS).

A proposed strategy from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) aims to improve the agency’s screening process for the harmful effects that pesticides and agricultural chemicals may have on the human endocrine system, starting with immediately requiring additional data to be submitted by the manufacturers of certain high-priority chemicals.