Food Safety News and Research

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Research shows how climate, environmental changes influence spread of dangerous viruses

How are human and animal diseases in general affected by the climate becoming "wilder, wetter and warmer"? Solveig Jore's doctoral research shows that the tick Ixodes ricinus has spread over larger geographical areas in Norway and that climate and environmental changes, access to host animals and demography affect tick distribution in Norway.

17 Apr 2013

FDA requests budget of $4.7 billion to protect, promote public health

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration is requesting a budget of $4.7 billion to protect and promote the public health as part of the President's fiscal year (FY) 2014 budget.

12 Apr 2013

Method used in aeronautics may help improve safety of plastic food packaging

To prevent molecules migrating from plastic packaging into the food they contain, scientists are identifying each critical point where this phenomenon can occur, using a method inspired from aeronautics.

11 Apr 2013

Non-invasive gut health testing breakthrough

Health and functional claims made for foods such as probiotics still need to prove their effectiveness ― an important part of the answer rests in our small intestines and their role in digestion, and immunity.

5 Apr 2013

Phenylbutazone in horsemeat detected by Thermo Fisher Scientific test

Thermo Fisher Scientific Inc., the world leader in serving science, recently mobilized its Food Safety Response Center (FSRC) to develop a method to test for the presence of the veterinary drug phenylbutazone in horsemeat. Phenylbutazone, also known as “bute,” is a potent painkiller banned in any horsemeat intended for human consumption.

From Thermo Fisher Scientific Inc. 4 Apr 2013

New report focuses on strengthening U.S. response to illness outbreaks

The Center for Biosecurity of UPMC today released online ahead of print a new report, When Good Food Goes Bad: Strengthening the US Response to Foodborne Disease Outbreaks. The authors analyzed existing data and studies on foodborne illness outbreak response, identified emerging trends, and interviewed dozens of federal and state-level officials and experts from industry, professional organizations, academia, and relevant international organizations.

6 Mar 2013

Microcystins in drinking water

An interview with Rohan Thakur, discussing the prevalence of microcystins in drinking water, and the use of LC-MS to identify cyanotoxins within water samples.

From Bruker Daltonics 5 Mar 2013

Intralytix’s SalmoFresh food safety product receives GRAS recognition from FDA

Intralytix, Inc. announced today that its latest food safety product, SalmoFresh, has received GRAS (Generally Recognized As Safe) recognition from the Food and Drug Administration (FDA).

28 Feb 2013

Is avoiding sequestration possible?

Sen. Lindsay Graham, R-S.C., told the Wall Street Journal that he would consider a tax increase if it is accompanied by reductions in entitlement spending.

27 Feb 2013

Researchers call for botulism testing in sick and healthy cows

Evidence of Clostridium botulinum and its toxin in milk and udder tissue samples from dairy cows has led German researchers to call for “statistically relevant testing of healthy and sick cows from healthy and affected farms.”

14 Feb 2013

AB SCIEX releases new testing method for laboratories to detect DCD in dairy products

AB SCIEX today announced the release of a new testing method for laboratories to screen for and quantify dicyandiamide ‒ known as DCD ‒ in dairy products and other protein-rich foods.

12 Feb 2013

Pelosi again rejects proposal to change Medicare

House Democratic leader, in television interview discussing scheduled budget cuts and the national economy, says she hasn't seen evidence that raising the Medicare eligibility age will save money. Republican Rep. Cantor, on a different Sunday morning program, says the government has to find a way to cut spending.

11 Feb 2013

Society of Toxicology's 52nd Annual Meeting to be held from Mar. 10-16 in San Antonio

A group of 7,000 scientists working in multiple specialties, from more than 50 countries, will meet March 10-14, 2013 at the Henry B. Gonzalez Convention Center in San Antonio, Texas, to share their latest findings on 60 topical issues of concern to human health and the environment.

7 Feb 2013

Changes in food label modifications may help consumers make healthful decisions

The Nutrition Facts label was introduced 20 years ago and provides consumers with important information, including: the serving size, the number of servings in the package, the number of calories per serving, and the amount of nutrients for each serving of a packaged food. However, research has shown that consumers often miscalculate the number of calories and the nutritional content of products that have two or more servings per container but are usually consumed in a single eating occasion.

23 Jan 2013

Waters and Fera launch new international food safety training facility

A major new international food safety training facility, aimed at improving compliance with EU food import standards, is being launched today by The Food and Environment Research Agency (Fera) and analytical equipment manufacturer Waters®.

22 Jan 2013

FDA proposes two new food safety rules to help prevent foodborne illness

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration today proposed two new food safety rules that will help prevent foodborne illness.

7 Jan 2013

Researcher explores new PCR system to discover dangerous foodborne pathogens

Pina Fratamico is on the quest to find the easiest and fastest way to test for harmful Escherichia coli in ground beef. In an article published in Frontiers in Microbiology on the 20th of December, she explores using a next-generation real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR) system to discover specific gene targets that indicate the presence of dangerous foodborne pathogens. The results show that assays performed using this PCR system are rapid, sensitive, and reliable.

20 Dec 2012

3M Molecular detection assay Salmonella certified by AFNOR Certification

3M Food Safety today announced its 3M™ Molecular Detection Assay Salmonella received an NF VALIDATION mark from AFNOR Certification. The Salmonella assay was among three pathogen test kits the company introduced alongside its novel 3M™ Molecular Detection System less than a year ago. In April, AOAC Research Institute granted PTM SM certification of the Salmonella assay, another important confirmation of the technology's effectiveness in detecting the bacteria.

13 Dec 2012

'Fiscal Cliff' talks morphing into high-stakes game of political chicken

White House negotiators and GOP lawmakers remain at odds over a deficit-reduction plan with only weeks to go before automatic spending cuts and tax increases are triggered.

3 Dec 2012

White House fiscal plan draws cool GOP response

The proposal reflects Democratic priorities, focusing on stimulus spending and unspecified spending cuts this year, and legislation in 2013 that would cut as much as $400 billion from Medicare and other government entitlement programs over the next decade in exchange for $1.6 trillion in tax increases.

1 Dec 2012