In this episode of Food Safety Matters, we review the top food safety stories of 2023 and their implications. Specifically, we discuss:
- Developments in the U.S. Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA’s) restructuring of its Human Foods Program and Office of Regulatory Affairs
- Ongoing concerns around infant formula safety and supply, including new regulations and guidelines, and how the crisis served as the catalyst for the reorganization of FDA's Human Foods Program
- New allergen guidances delivered by authorities worldwide and growing global concern over industry compliance with food allergen requirements, as well as U.S. industry’s unexpected response to the FASTER Act, which added sesame as the ninth major allergen
- Industry’s ongoing efforts to comply with FDA's Final Food Traceability Rule, which goes into effect in January 2026
- The battle over food additives legislation in the U.S. at the state level and FDA’s efforts to get ahead of a possible regulatory patchwork
- The growing concern with per- and polyfluoralkyl substances (PFAS) contamination in drinking water, food, the environment, and human bodies, leading to restrictions being placed on the use of these “forever chemicals” in food packaging and other applications
- The state of retail foodservice safety in the U.S.—especially in light of FDA releasing a new version of the Food Code—and in other countries
- The release of the Netflix documentary Poisoned, which put food safety in a unique spotlight, sparking conversations and debate among industry and consumers alike.
News and Resources
Reorganization of FDA’s Human Foods Program [6:05]
Ongoing Concerns Around Infant Formula [14:21]
Global Focus on Allergens and on Sesame in the U.S. [22:31]
FDA Food Traceability Final Rule Compliance Efforts [32:03]
Food Additives Legislation [40:20]
Retail Foodservice Safety [49:55]
- FDA Releases 2022 Food Code
- Pennsylvania, Mississippi First to Adopt 2022 Version of FDA Food Code, According to Status Report
- 40 Percent of Retail Foodborne Illness Outbreaks Linked to Sick Employees, Says CDC
- CDC Study Highlights Restaurant Characteristics Most Associated With Food Cross-Contamination
- USDA-FSIS Updates Guidance for Controlling Listeria in Delis
- EU Study Reveals Barriers to and Benefits of Adopting Digital Technologies for Retail Food Safety Inspections
- Australia Updates Food Safety Standards for Foodservice, Retail Sector
- WHO Releases Manual for Improving Safety of Traditional Food Markets
- Ep. 154. Guzzle, Ham, Lewis, Pierce: 30th Anniversary and Ongoing Implementation of FDA's Food Code (Food Safety Matters podcast)
- Ep. 151. Pierce, Morales, and Quam: Behavioral Science of Food Safety in Small-Scale Retail Foodservice (Food Safety Matters podcast)
- Pierce, Chapman, and Zimmerman: The Behavioral Science of Retail Food Safety Culture (Food Safety Matters podcast)
- Retail Sector Faces "New Era" of Food Safety Regulatory Focus (FSM eDigest feature article)
- Current States of Food Safety Culture and FSMSs in Food Establishments (Food Safety Magazine cover story)
- New Uses for Existing Technologies to Reduce the Risk of Persistent Pathogens on Surfaces in Retail Foodservice (Food Safety Magazine column)
- Food Safety Leadership in the Business of Food Safety (digital book)
PFAS Concerns and Restrictions [59:04]
Netflix’s Poisoned Documentary [1:09:30]
Sponsored by:
SafetyChain
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