The 99th meeting of the Joint FAO/WHO Expert Committee on Food Additives (JECFA) took place on June 11–20, 2024 in Geneva, Switzerland, during which the safety of certain food additives were evaluated.

The Food Safety Authority of Ireland (FSAI) has developed a guidance document to help food supplement producers and food businesses assess the safety of probiotics used in their products.

In this episode of Food Safety Matters, we are joined by milk and dairy safety experts from FDA, CDC, and NCIMS to mark 100 years since the Pasteurized Milk Ordinance (PMO) was adopted. We discuss the requirements and public health impact of PMO, the increasing consumer interest in raw milk and dairy, and the regulatory futures of milk and dairy safety and the PMO.

The UK Food Standards Agency (FSA) has opened a public consultation on the safety of ashwagandha food supplements.

Effective August 2, 2024, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has revoked its authorization of the use of brominated vegetable oil (BVO) in food due to studies showing the potential for adverse health effects to humans.

Antimicrobial processing aids (APAs) are a subgroup of antimicrobial food additives used by food processors to benefit public health. As new APA technologies emerge, food processors and retail food/foodservice companies have identified opportunities to enhance food safety and the reliability of their processes. 

A recent study has found the ubiquitous presence of tire-derived compounds in leafy greens samples grown in four European countries, indicating that chemicals in tires and roads are taken up by crops.

Ice cream has historically been associated with human cases of infection by various foodborne pathogens. Pathogen introduction into ice cream can occur at various points throughout the production process for a range of reasons, which can be addressed through proper food safety controls. 

A recent study provided insight into the on-farm hygiene characteristics that affect the contamination of milk produced at informal dairy farms in Zimbabwe. The risk variables identified in the study can serve as a foundation for microbial contamination prevention strategies for the sector.

Researchers recently conducted sampling and analysis of common vegetable oils from Italy and Spain, packaged in both glass and plastic bottles, to determine the presence of microplastics. Microplastics were found in every sample tested, regardless of packaging.