In this episode of Food Safety Matters, we are joined by Natalie Dyenson, M.P.H., Chief Food Safety and Regulatory Officer for the International Fresh Produce Association (IFPA), about her role at IFPA, the Association’s key priorities for produce food safety, and its global advocacy work along the fresh produce supply chain.

A fully automated assay to detect Cyclospora cayetanensis, developed under a Research Collaboration Agreement between the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and Rheonix, is now available to food and environmental testing laboratories, and has been proven to achieve consistent detection rates in samples of high-risk fresh produce with low levels of oocysts.

Due to a steady increase of foodborne Cyclospora cayetanensis infections in recent years, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) charged the National Advisory Committee on Microbiological Criteria for Foods (NACMCF) with producing a report that provides information on the factors that contribute to the contamination of produce by the parasite, as well as recommendations for a prevention and management strategy.

Non-cultivable foodborne pathogens, such as enteric viruses and protozoan parasites like Cyclospora, present unique challenges in our food system due to significant limitations in sampling and detection. This article covers the methodological drawbacks of current methods related to interpretation of results and public health risk, while offering alternative food safety management principles to address the prevalence of these pathogens in food.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service (USDA’s FSIS) has announced a virtual public meeting of the full National Advisory Committee on Microbiological Criteria for Foods (NACMCF) on August 30, 2023 to discuss a report on Cyclospora cayetanensis in produce and a charge on Cronobacter in powdered infant formula.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has provided updates on the agency’s Cyclospora Prevention, Response, and Research Action Plan to reflect the current status of the agency’s work to prevent and reduce incidences of foodborne cyclosporiasis in the U.S.

A molecular sample-to-answer method developed by Rheonix Inc. and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) enables low-level detection of Cyclospora in food and environmental samples.

The full committee of the National Advisory Committee on Microbiological Criteria for Foods (NACMCF) will hold a hybrid in-person and virtual public meeting on May 16, 2023, to provide an update on the Cyclospora cayetanensis in produce and Cronobacter in powdered infant formula subcommittee work.

Two ongoing studies funded by the Center for Produce Safety (CPS) are looking to improve detection and control methods for Cyclospora cayetanensis.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service’s (USDA’s FSIS’) National Advisory Committee on Microbiological Criteria for Foods will hold a virtual public meeting to discuss a work related to Cronobacter, Cyclospora, and Salmonella.