West Virginia Gov. Patrick Morrisey signed House Bill 2354 into law on March 24, making the state the first to enact a comprehensive statewide ban on certain artificial food dyes and preservatives. The legislation, inspired by the “Make America Healthy Again” (MAHA) movement, will prohibit seven synthetic dyes in school... Continue Reading
Read the NewsLatvian public health officials have reported 12 recent E. coli infections with mostly children sick. The Center for Disease Prevention and Control (SPKC) said it is conducting an epidemiological investigation because of the registered cases of Shiga toxin-producing E. coli (STEC) to determine the sources of infection. Since March 19,... Continue Reading
Read the NewsA charity in Australia has repeated a warning against picking and eating wild mushrooms. The Food Safety Information Council’s annual message comes as mushrooms are starting to appear around Australia with it being Autumn in the Southern Hemisphere. Lydia Buchtmann, Food Safety Information Council CEO, said foraging for food is... Continue Reading
Read the NewsReyes Coca-Cola Bottling, LLC, based in Milwaukee, WI, is recalling 864 12-count packs of Coca-Cola Original Taste because of potential contamination with foreign material, specifically plastic. The recall was initiated on March 6, 2025, and remains ongoing, according to the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). The recall is classified as... Continue Reading
Read the NewsWhen McDonald’s launched a brief food safety ad at the end of 2024, it raised eyebrows in an industry that typically avoids such topics — especially after an E. coli outbreak tied to Quarter Pounders sickened 49 people across 10 states, hospitalized 10, and caused one death, prompting the chain... Continue Reading
Read the NewsPoland has a solid system to monitor fish product safety but its effectiveness is weakened by issues with training and Listeria sampling. An audit by DG Sante took place in May and June 2024 to evaluate the control system for fishery products. Six recommendations were made. The last audit on... Continue Reading
Read the NewsScientists at the USDA’s Agriculture Research Service have demonstrated the potential of a form of whole genome sequencing for the early detection of Salmonella on food contact surfaces. The research into long-read whole genome sequencing (WGS) could give food processors more time to initiate sanitation of surfaces before biofilms are... Continue Reading
Read the NewsPresident Trump plans to nominate Susan Monarez to be director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, according to a post on his social media platform. Monarez is not a medical doctor but does hold a Ph.D. in microbiology and immunology. She has 20 years of experience in government... Continue Reading
Read the NewsSuspected food fraud and non-compliance cases discussed by European countries have continued to fall. The number of notifications reported was 214 in February 2025 which is down from 220 in January and 318 in February 2024. Issues listed are potential frauds. Non-compliance may prompt investigations by authorities in EU member... Continue Reading
Read the NewsSeven E. coli and 13 Cryptosporidium outbreak investigations in England and Wales required APHA assistance in 2024, according to a recent report. The Animal and Plant Health Agency (APHA) was part of seven Shiga toxin-producing E. coli (STEC) investigations with two each in the first and second quarters of 2024,... Continue Reading
Read the NewsA new survey has shown that 56 percent of U.S. adults know that drinking raw milk, sometimes called “fresh” milk, is less safe than drinking pasteurized milk. The survey, which involved more than 1,700 U.S. adults, was conducted Jan. 30-Feb. 10 by researchers at the Annenberg Public Policy Center of... Continue Reading
Read the NewsA study by the CDC, FDA and USDA used whole-genome sequencing (WGS) and machine learning to identify chicken and vegetables as leading sources of Salmonella enterica infections in the United States. The research, published in the April 2025 issue of Emerging Infectious Diseases, focused on sporadic cases, which account for... Continue Reading
Read the NewsThe number of foodborne illness outbreaks declined in Hong Kong in 2024 compared to the year before but there was a rise in norovirus epidemics, according to statistics just released. Included food poisoning outbreaks related to food premises and businesses and were reported to the Centre for Food Safety (CFS)... Continue Reading
Read the NewsThe Food and Drug Administration uses import alerts to enforce U.S. food safety regulations for food from foreign countries. The agency updates and modifies the alerts as needed. Recent modifications to FDA’s import alerts, as posted by the agency, are listed below. Click here to go to the FDA page... Continue Reading
Read the NewsDessert Holdings LLC of Kennesaw, GA, is recalling its Target brand Favorite Day Gourmet New York Style Cheesecake 6oz/2ct because of undeclared pecans, posing a risk of serious or life-threatening allergic reactions for consumers with pecan allergies. The recall was initiated after a customer complaint on March 14, 2025, alerted... Continue Reading
Read the NewsThe Fillo Factory Inc. of Northvale, NJ, is recalling three Chef’s Line US Foods products—Black Bean Burger, 3 Grain Burger, and 3 Grain Slider— because of possible contamination with foreign material, specifically a bolt. The recall encompasses a total of 74,514 cases of frozen burger and slider products distributed to... Continue Reading
Read the NewsAn Idaho company is recalling more than 14 tons of ready-to-eat beef sticks after two consumers complained about pieces of metal in the product. Idaho Smokehouse Partners LLC of Shelley, ID, issued the recall of 29,541 pounds of product on March 20. The USDA’s Food Safety and Inspection Service reported... Continue Reading
Read the NewsThe FDA is delaying enforcement of the Food Traceability Rule, which has been in the works for 14 years, by another 30 months. In an announcement on March 20, the Food and Drug Administration said it intends to publish a proposed rule “at a later time.” The rule has already... Continue Reading
Read the NewsThe FDA has initiated a site inspection related to a Listeria monocytogenes outbreak that has sickened more than two dozen people. Although it has also begun sample testing, the Food and Drug Administration is not reporting what site is being inspected or what is being sampled. The agency has not... Continue Reading
Read the News— OPINION — Thirty years ago, I wrote a New York Times op-ed titled “Tragedy Wasn’t Enough”, in the wake of the 1993 Jack in the Box E. coli outbreak that killed four children —including my own son. I wrote that piece believing — hoping — that this time, tragedy would be enough to force... Continue Reading
Read the NewsA new tool about chemical contaminants in human and animal foods is available from the FDA. The Chemical Contaminants Transparency Tool is the latest effort by Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. to “Make America Healthy Again.” The tool is designed for industry, but can also be... Continue Reading
Read the NewsIllinois is forging ahead with the Illinois Food Safety Act to ban brominated vegetable oil (BVO) and some other additives, spotlighting a tug-of-war over who controls food safety: states or the federal government. While the U.S. Food and Drug Administration banned BVO in July 2024, Illinois’ move— co-authored by Secretary... Continue Reading
Read the NewsResearchers have been unable to find the original source in a Welsh Shigella outbreak that affected more than 50 people. In February 2023, 52 cases of gastrointestinal illness were reported in customers of a takeaway in South Wales. Shigella flexneri serotype 2a was the causative organism. In December 2024, operators of Marmaris... Continue Reading
Read the NewsTrong Food International of Santa Ana, CA, is recalling all lots of its Madras Curry Powder, sold in three different package sizes, because of elevated levels of lead. According to details published by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), the lead levels were detected at 5.48 mg/kg and 2.59 mg/kg... Continue Reading
Read the NewsGreat Lakes Cheese Co. Inc. of Hiram, OH, is recalling 400 cases of Happy Farms by ALDI Colby Jack, a blend of finely shredded Colby and Monterey Jack cheeses, because of potential contamination with stainless steel fragments. The affected product is packaged in 12 oz (340g) flexible plastic stand-up pouches,... Continue Reading
Read the NewsThe Karma Sauce Company LLC of Rochester, NY, is recalling multiple sizes of HOT ONES brand Los Calientes Hot Sauce, including Verde and Rojo varieties, because of possible foreign objects contamination, specifically plastic. The recall involves a total of 50,654 units across 5 oz bottles, 1-gallon jugs and 5-gallon buckets.... Continue Reading
Read the NewsThe U.S. food industry is firmly opposing Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s aggressive effort to eliminate artificial dyes, following his March 10 meeting with executives from major companies like PepsiCo, Kraft Heinz and General Mills. As U.S. Health and Human Services Secretary, Kennedy demanded that companies remove dyes from their products... Continue Reading
Read the NewsNew research shows there were 9.9 million domestically acquired foodborne illnesses in the United States in 2019. The most recent data available before this was published in 2011. By estimating the number of foodborne illnesses, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention can provide information on the critical allocation of... Continue Reading
Read the NewsExperts have met to discuss the risks and knowledge gaps around Clostridium botulinum and Clostridium perfringens. At a Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) meeting in Rome in February, experts reviewed recent scientific developments, data, and evidence, including a review of the disease burden, attribution to food commodities of high public... Continue Reading
Read the NewsAn audit in Norway has revealed progress in the system for import checks of products of animal origin but some areas still need further attention. Norway is part of the European Free Trade Association (EFTA). The EFTA Surveillance Authority (ESA) monitors how the country implements European Economic Area (EEA) rules... Continue Reading
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