Researchers at the University of Arizona are exploring natural methods for improving the safety of organic leafy greens with common ingredients such as oregano, cinnamon and vinegar. The team led by Sadhana Ravishankar, associate professor in the Department of Veterinary Science and Microbiology, has found that by washing the vegetables with water containing plant extracts and essential oils can kill any bacteria contaminating them. The plant antimicrobials and organic sanitizers are natural, environmentally friendly, and effective at both room and cold temperatures. They have the potential to reduce and prevent contamination of the leafy greens at the production and harvesting levels. Ravishankar told the USDA Blog that her team is now testing combinations of plant antimicrobials and their effectiveness in recycled wash water. USDA’s National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA) funds the research. (To sign up for a free subscription to Food Safety News, click here.)
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Ireland’s largest Listeria outbreak and plans to introduce a food hygiene rating system are among the highlights of the Irish food agency’s annual report.
According to the Food
The European Commission has assessed histamine controls in fishery products with training highlighted as one of the major problems.
Histamine toxicity, also known as scombroid poisoning, is associated with consumption
The Food Standards Agency (FSA) has published six pieces of research relating to efforts to reduce Campylobacter in chicken meat.
The papers cover interventions applied at slaughterhouses, in the supply
A court in Spain has maintained the prison sentence of a woman who attempted to murder her ex-partner using chocolate laced with rat poison.
A ruling in November 2021
As part of its enforcement activities, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration sends warning letters to entities under its jurisdiction. Some letters are not posted for public view until
A salmonella outbreak that has sickened dozens of Suffolk County residents in New York is under investigation by the county's Department of Health Services.
A total of 58
The 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.
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