GAO Submits FDA Recommendations to Congress for Increased Inspection Efforts

On January 8, 2025, the U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO) released its Q&A report to Congress, titled “Food Safety: FDA Should Strengthen Inspection Efforts to Protect the U.S. Food Supply.”

FDA inspections fail to meet mandated annual targets

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is responsible for ensuring the safety of nearly 80% of the nation’s food supply including fruits, vegetables, processed foods, and most seafood.

Since 2007, the FDA has been on the GAO's High-Risk List, which highlights 37 areas across the federal government that are...

Orgain Issues Voluntary Allergy Alert on Possible Undeclared Peanut Residue in a Single Batch 

OrgainExternal Link Disclaimer of Irvine, California is voluntarily recalling a single batch of its 30g Protein Organic Plant Based Powder - Chocolate 2.01lb because it may contain undeclared peanut residue. People who have an allergy or severe sensitivity to peanuts may run the risk of serious or life-threatening allergic reaction if they consume this product.

The recall is limited to a single batch of 30g Protein Organic Plant Based Powder - Chocolate 2.01lb and was distributed nationwide both in retail stores and online...

E. coli Linked to McDonald's Quarter Pounders Kills 1 in Multi-State Outbreak

An investigation is underway following an outbreak of E. coli linked to McDonald's Quarter Pounder hamburgers that killed one individual in Colorado and sickened dozens of others across multiple states. 

The U.S. Food & Drug Administration identified the strain as O157:H7, a dangerous bacteria that can cause severe illness or death. The primary sources of outbreaks are raw or undercooked ground meat, raw milk and cheeses, and contaminated vegetables...

FDA Approves Inneo as New Food Processing Aid Against Listeria

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) have granted GRAS (Generally Recognized as Safe) status to INNEO, a food processing aid made to eliminate Listeria monocytogenes. This innovative technology, developed by Canadian biotechnology company Innodal, uses antimicrobial peptides to eliminate the harmful pathogen. With this approval, Innodal is set to launch industrial-scale projects with U.S. processing companies, marking its entry into the U.S. market.

INNEO, Innodal's flagship product, has been successfully commercialized in Canada for four years and will now be available...

Philippines Plans to Soon Roll Out ASF Vaccine

The office of the President of the Philippines announced that the Department of Agriculture (DA) would roll out an African Swine Fever (ASF) vaccine by September. The initial rollout will be for government use, with commercial use to follow.

According to the DA, the commercial trial for the vaccine is expected to be approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) this month, allowing the DA to start mass trials. However, the UK government noted in an ASF outbreak in Asia assessment report that the department... 

Viva Raw Issues Voluntary Recall of Dog and Cat Food Due to Potential Listeria Monocytogenes 

Viva Raw LLC, Hillsborough, NC is voluntarily recalling dog and cat foods, including the Viva Turkey for Dogs Ground, Viva Turkey for Dogs Chunked, Viva Turkey for Cats, Viva Pure Turkey, and Viva Beef & Turkey for Puppies all manufactured under Lot 21244 because this lot, which includes these five products are contaminated with Listeria monocytogenes and is a potential health risk to people and pets.

Listeria monocytogenes can cause serious and sometimes fatal infections in pets eating contaminated products. People can...

Mars Petcare US, Inc. Voluntarily Recalls 315 Bags of PEDIGREE® Adult Complete Nutrition 

Mars Petcare US is voluntarily recalling 315 bags of PEDIGREE® Adult Complete Nutrition Grilled Steak & Vegetable Flavor Dry Dog Food in the 44 lb. bag size only, due to the potential presence of loose metal pieces in the bag.

The affected products have a Best By Date of March 4, 2025 and Lot Code 410B2TXT02. This is a limited voluntary recall only affecting 315 bags of product that were sold by Walmart in Arkansas, Louisiana, Oklahoma and Texas.

Product
44 lb. bag PEDIGREE® Adult...

ADM Animal Nutrition Recalls Select Chicken, Swine, Cattle and Horse Feed Products

Specific lots may contain elevated levels of calcium, phosphorus, magnesium, sodium and/or chloride and may harm chickens, swine, beef cattle and equine

ADM Animal Nutrition, a division of ADM, is recalling the following products:

• Pen Pals® Chicken Starter-Grower 25-lb bag (Product No 70009ACF46)
• Pen Pals Chicken Starter-Grower 50-lb bag (Product No. 70009AAA44)
• Pen Pals Chicken Starter-Grower 25-lb case (Product No. 70009AAABE)
• MoorMan’s ShowTec Sale Burst w/DF DEN 50-lb. bag (Product No 21256CVWE4)...

FDA Issues Import Alert for Food Products with Chemical Contaminants Including PFAS

Today, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration issued a new import alert for human food products with detectable levels of chemical contaminants that may present a safety concern to human health. The Import Alert 99-48, Detention without Physical Examination of Foods Due to Chemical Contamination, gives the FDA the ability to help prevent entry of human food products into the U.S. if they are found to be contaminated with a broad range of human-made chemicals including benzene, dioxins and polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), and...

FDA, Industry Actions End Sales of PFAS Used in US Food Packaging

Today, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration is announcing that grease-proofing materials containing per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are no longer being sold for use in food packaging in the U.S. This means the major source of dietary exposure to PFAS from food packaging like fast-food wrappers, microwave popcorn bags, take-out paperboard containers and pet food bags is being eliminated.

PFAS are a diverse group of thousands of chemicals that resist grease, oil, water and heat. The FDA has authorized certain PFAS for limited...

Mg Foods Voluntarily Recalls Ham & Cotija Torta Sandwich Distributed in Florida 

MG Foods is voluntarily recalling a Ham & Cotija Torta Sandwich on Telera Roll sold in Florida. This voluntary recall is being initiated as a result of the Rizo-López Foods, Inc. recall of cotija cheese due to possible contamination with Listeria monocytogenes and associated with an outbreak the FDA is currently investigating.

Listeria monocytogenes is an organism that can cause serious and sometimes fatal infections in young children, frail or elderly people, and others with weakened immune systems. Although healthy individuals may suffer only short-term symptoms such...