The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has backed European plans to use whole genome sequencing (WGS) to help solve outbreaks.
The European Commission recently asked for comments on potential legislation requiring EU countries to do WGS during foodborne outbreaks.
The FDA said the proposed regulation would “significantly improve food
Continue Reading FDA supports EU’s WGS outbreak plan; food industry groups voice concerns
The European Commission has proposed legislation requiring EU countries to do whole genome sequencing (WGS) during foodborne outbreaks.
Officials said the plans would facilitate investigations into outbreaks and the timely detection of the source, which would limit the number of people sick and food recalls and withdrawals.
Member states would
Continue Reading EU Commission proposes use of WGS to help solve outbreaks
The chance to participate in a meeting on whole genome sequencing (WGS) for food safety and water surveillance has been opened.
The UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) will organize the event in May 2025 in Rome, Italy to bring together government officials, public health professionals, researchers, and other stakeholders.
Continue Reading FAO plans WGS meeting; WHO wants aflatoxin data
Researchers have urged a change in the way microbial food safety is considered.
Experts from the Quadram Institute, the University of East Anglia, the Royal Veterinary College, and Massey University called for more holistic approaches that assess the risks and monitor changes in microbial communities as a whole and across
Continue Reading Scientists push for broader adoption of genomic surveillance
A multi-year outbreak of Listeria infections traced to peaches, nectarines, and plums has been declared over by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
In its final update, the CDC reported that the seven-state outbreak had sickened 11 people and killed one. One of the patients was pregnant and went
Continue Reading CDC says the Listeria outbreak linked to peaches is over, with one dead
A food safety barometer in Belgium has found improvements in the country during the past decade.
The purpose is to measure food safety and enable evidence-based risk management and policy decisions. It consists of 30 indicators that cover various aspects of food safety from farm to fork.
It relies on
Continue Reading Belgium shares benefits of food safety barometer
Whole genome sequencing (WGS) by companies in Norway will likely be used for certain samples or in particular situations instead of all the time, according to a report.
The report looks at the legal rules that may affect WGS implementation of bacterial pathogens in the food industry, using Listeria monocytogenes
Continue Reading The project assesses potential WGS use for Listeria in Norway
The UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) plans to publish reports on cell-based food, precision fermentation, and whole genome sequencing (WGS) in 2024.
FAO and the China National Center for Food Safety Risk Assessment (CFSA) held a meeting on cell-based food production and precision fermentation in Shanghai in November 2023. A report on
Continue Reading WGS and cell-based food on FAO’s 2024 agenda
Most people think of foodborne illness outbreaks as spanning a few days or weeks. But, with current technology, disease detectives can find patients of a single outbreak spread across several years and multiple states.
That is the case with an ongoing outbreak of Listeria illnesses linked to fresh peaches that
Continue Reading High technology is the key to detecting foodborne outbreaks over space and time
The World Health Organization (WHO) has released a guide for use of whole genome sequencing (WGS) in food safety.
The guidance comes in three parts. The first explains the minimum capacity requirements in the foodborne disease surveillance and response system prior to considering implementation of WGS.
The second discusses how
Continue Reading WHO unveils WGS guides to help tackle foodborne disease