Researchers at Kansas State University have developed a molecular assay that can detect and quantify major genes specific for the deadly bacteria E. coli in cattle feed. If widely adopted, the test would identify pathogenic Shiga toxin-producing E. coli O157:H7 before it had a chance to contaminate beef. That would not only benefit the cattle industry by preventing costly recalls, it would benefit consumers by ensuring the safety of the beef supply.  The new test is rapid and less labor-intensive than current detection methods, and can be automated to allow testing many samples in a short period of time.

Scientists in France and the U.K. have developed a device that detects foodborne pathogens, particularly Listeria monocytogenes, on food industry surfaces that could be used to prevent contaminated products from reaching the market. Listeria is transmitted by foods such as milk, cheese, vegetables, raw and smoked fish, meat and cold cuts. It has a 92 percent hospitalization rate and a mortality rate of 18 percent, making it the deadliest of all foodborne pathogens. The new device samples single cells and biofilms on food surfaces, then removes cells before they are introduced to an antibody. If Listeria monocytogenes is present, a camera detects a fluorescent signal when cells react with the antibody.

A study by Australian scientists shows that some sports-related nutritional supplements sold in that country contain banned substances – specifically androgens – not listed on labels. The undisclosed contents put the general public at risk along with athletes who would test positive for illegal substances. The researchers tested 79 nutritional supplements purchased randomly from Sydney-based stores. They included protein powders, amino acids, creatines, fat metabolizers, "testosterone-boosters”, carbohydrates and stimulant/nitric oxide "pre-workout"-based supplements. Six of the tested products were androgen-positive but androgen was not listed on the label.

The FDA, after extensive testing, has decided that ionizing irradiation of shellfish to control foodborne contamination is safe. The agency tested the technology for potential toxicity and microbiological risk, and for its impact on nutrients. It then decided to amend current regulations to allow the use of irradiation on crab, shrimp, lobster, crayfish and prawns, whether raw, frozen, cooked, partially cooked, shelled or cooked and ready to cook, including those processed with spices and other ingredients. Irradiation reduces, but does not eliminate entirely, pathogenic microorganisms such as Listeria, Vibrio and E. coli. On shellfish.

A study of household and hospital kitchens by Swiss researchers found that cutting boards and gloves were major vehicles for transmission of multi-drug resistant bacteria, including E. coli. The researchers analyzed 298 cutting boards used in the preparation of various meats and fish, and 20 pairs of food-handling gloves used in preparation of poultry. They found that 6.5 percent of hospital cutting boards used to prepare poultry were contaminated with drug-resistant E. coli. They found drug-resistant E. coli on 3.5 percent of the household cutting boards. And they found that half of the hospital kitchen gloves were contaminated with drug-resistant E. coli. The researchers said the findings emphasize the need for hand hygiene after handling raw poultry and after handling cutting boards.

A federal investigation launched in 2011 over a 2007 recall of Salmonella-tainted Peter Pan and Great Value peanut butter may result in criminal charges against the owner of the Sylvester, Ga., production plant, ConAgra Foods, Inc. The company said in a statement, however, that it was negotiating with the U.S. Department of Justice and it believes the outcome will be a “misdemeanor criminal disposition” of the case. The focus of the investigation was a damaged  roof that may have led to water-contamination of the production process. The tainted peanut butter purportedly caused 288 foodborne illnesses across 39 states.

Yum! Brands Inc., owner of the KFC fastfood chain, reported that same-store sales in China dropped 29 percent in April 2013. Concerns about the safety of KFC's chicken and the spread of bird flu in China prompted customers to stay away from KFC restaurants. KFC's efforts to offer localized dishes is working against KFC's brand, which is driven by the taste of its friend chicken and which is what made Chinese consumers fell in love with the restaurant chain in the first place. Also, KFC is feeling the pressure from U.S.-based competitors McDonald's Corp. and Burger King Worldwide Inc., which are expanding their China operations. Reports about high levels of antibiotics contained by locally sourced chicken also harmed KFC's sales and profit, which Yum forecast to decline by mid-single digit rate in 2013. In contrast, net income increased 21 percent to $1.6 billion in 2012.

Wal-Mart Stores Inc. said it is investing 100 million yuan, or $16.3 million, to improve food-safety management at its retail stores in China. Government officials in that country launched crackdowns on violators of food safety rules following public furor over several well-publicized food safety scandals. Wal-Mart plans to expand mobile food-safety laboratories to manage third-party providers of food-quality tests at 70 stores owned by the company across China's southern Guangdong province. In 2011, Chongqing government officials accused the retailer of mislabeling regular pork products as organic pork, making them more expensive. The incident prompted heightened food safety awareness for Wal-Mart, which also plans to improve employees' food safety training and hire more retail compliance experts.

Parents in China want only foreign infant formula brands, but trust them only if purchased from sources outside the country. Driven by food quality and safety scandals, the trend is having impact on sales in markets as far away as Europe where Chinese visitors sometimes empty store shelves. Food safety cases involving infant formula in China include the 2008 incident which killed six babies and downed 300,000 others who were given infant formula mixed with an industrial chemical designed to circumvent laboratory tests for protein content. Most recently, the local distributor of Hero baby formula, a high-end brand from Switzerland, was caught mixing expired milk powder into cans being readied for sale. China's leading formula brand, with 15 percent of the market, Danone's Dumex has been commended for its openness about its operations and efforts to convince consumers about its safety standards.

A U.S. study testing the levels of chemical contaminants in the urine of two groups of families, found that exposure to the chemicals may go far beyond what scientists have assumed. Even when participants consumed only organic foods prepared and stored in non-plastic containers, exposure to bisphenol A (BPA) and phthalates was significant. Previous studies have shown that phthalates and bisphenol A disrupt the endocrine systems of animals and humans and cause other health problems such as hyperactivity, anxiety, and depression in girls. "Current information we give families” – on plastic bottle labels and personal care products – “may not be enough to reduce exposures," said the lead author on the study.

As the horsemeat scandal continues to rock Europe, Nestlé announced that tests on nine processed beef products available in the U.K. – including products from the Jenny Craig weight-loss brand – had found no equine contamination. The company had earlier withdrawn beef and pasta products in Italy, Spain and France because it found traces of horsemeat. Meanwhile, the U.K.’s Food Standards Agency (FSA) said it will launch DNA testing next week of beef-based foods sold pre-packed or loose, including sandwiches, beef dripping, stock cubes, steak, stewing steak and ready meals that contain beef that is not minced. Officials in Parliament said various meat-based dishes had been withdrawn from eateries used by members, peers and staff.

Nestlé SA withdrew some of its beef pasta meals from the market in Italy, Spain, and France after traces of horse DNA were found in these products. More than 1 percent horse DNA was found in two products following tests, the company said. Nestlé also said it was putting on hold deliveries of finished products using beef supplied by JBS Toledo N.V.'s subcontractor H.J. Schypke. Also, the company said these products posed no food safety risks and that the withdrawals would not impact the company's financial performance.

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Nanotechnology is used in the production of consumer and health goods, including food, food packaging and sun block products. Nanoparticles easily penetrate DNA structures and the cells of the lungs, skin and digestive system, raising concerns in the health and consumer community. The U.S. FDA studied the issue but found no reason for more extensive regulation of nanoparticles, a decision criticized by environmental and other groups. Food industry expert Adam Soliman, in an opinion article, acknowledges that the long-term effects of nanoparticle use may be positive, but suggests there may be negative effects on health. “Thus, jurisdictions [globally] should continue to broaden legislation monitoring the development of nanotechnology.”

The European Court of Auditors has criticized the Italy-based European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) and three other EU agencies for conflicts of interest over consumer protection activities. ECA inspectors found fault with management at EFSA, the European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA), the European Chemicals Agency (ECHA) and the European Medicines Agency (EMA) for being too close to the various industries they were supposed to be monitoring. The auditors said in a report that “none of the selected agencies adequately managed the conflict of interest situations." They offered several suggestions for fixing the problem, including better screening of job candidates for possible conflict of interest before appointment.

Consumers Union, reporting in its magazine Consumer Reports, says it found varying levels of the poison arsenic in more than 60 rices and rice products, including baby foods. Some infant rice cereals contained five times the levels of inorganic arsenic found in alternatives such as oatmeal. One of CU’s key recommendations to parents about reducing the risk of arsenic poisoning: babies should eat no more than one serving of infant rice cereal a day on average, and their diets should include cereals made from wheat, oatmeal or corn grits, “which contain significantly lower levels of arsenic.”

Portuguese researchers report that coriander oil is toxic enough to a variety of harmful bacteria to be used in foods to prevent food-borne illnesses. The researchers tested coriander oil against 12 bacterial strains, including Escherichia coli, Salmonella enterica, Bacillus cereus and meticillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA). Solutions containing 1.6 percent coriander oil killed or reduced the growth of the tested bacterial strains. According to the researchers, coriander oil damages the membrane surrounding the bacterial cell, inhibits essential processes and ultimately causes cell death. They suggest that in addition to use in the food industry, coriander oil could be used as a natural alternative to antibiotics in lotions, mouth rinses and pills.

Fraud in the food industry is a “phenomenal”  global problem, according to the CEO of Oritain Global, an independent New Zealand-based commercial venture that specializes in scientifically determining and certifying food origins. The company, which works with universities and government agencies around the world, has tested meat, dairy products, honey, vegetables, fruit, coffee beans, seeds, wine and wool, with a goal of ensuring that labels aren't lying. The company sees its mission as “food justice” for consumers, producers and regulators in the food industry. Examples of food fraud include fake – and often lethal – Russian vodka, cheap pork dyed and chemically treated to sell as beef in China,  and "Scotch" whiskey produced in China and India.

Norwegian scientists have come up with an effective, fast and economical method of identifying infection sources such as bacteria, yeasts and molds in the food chain. Microorganisms that cause spoilage and deterioration can be found anywhere in the food processing system – for example, in the tubes that carry milk to cartons, or suspended in the air as sausages are being packed, etc. The new detection method is based on spectral readings of microbes collected from foods. Each microbe has a unique spectral profile that acts like a fingerprint for identification purposes. Using a spectrometer, scientists can detect microbes in finished food products and trace them back to the various steps in the production process.

Researchers in Minnesota have patented a newly discovered, naturally occurring peptide produced by a harmless bacteria that could be added to food as a potent weapon against deadly foodborne bacteria such as salmonella, E. coli and listeria. According to scientists, the lantibiotic they discovered is the first natural preservative that destroys so-called “gram-negative” bacteria, typically the harmful kind. The substance could protect many foods – meats, processed cheeses, egg and dairy products, canned foods, seafood, salad dressing, fermented beverages, etc. – from a broad range of disease-causing microbes. Lantibiotics are easy to digest, nontoxic, and nonallergenic. And dangerous bacteria have a hard time developing a resistance to them.

A meta-review by Danish and U.S. researchers of 85 studies on kava toxicity has failed to clear up the mystery of why some people can consume it safely while others become ill. Kava has been used without adverse effects as a sedative for centuries by Pacific Island cultures. Within the last twenty years, the substance has been used in the West as an herbal supplement to treat anxiety, emotional stress and sleep problems. However, reports of liver damage among Westerners began to surface in 2001, and some countries have banned or regulated kava. Numerous studies have tried to find out why kava sometimes has toxic effects, and several theories have been offered. But this meta-review found no consensus on the reasons for kava toxicity.

Any adverse effects reported for taking large amounts of omega-3 fatty acid supplements are probably due to problems with the intake of oily substances, rather than with the intake of EPA or DHA, a Norwegian food safety (VKM) has ruled. The panel reviewed safety data on EPA and DHA , two forms of omega-3 fatty acids, finding that levels as high as 6.9 grams a day led to no unfavorable effects. Scientists looked at dosages and effects for an array of conditions such as bleeding times, lipid peroxidation, inflammation and immunity, glucose metabolism and gastrointestinal disturbances. “Negative health effects regarding gastrointestinal function … have been reported, but seem to be associated with intake of an oily substance” rather than with EPA or DHA,” the committee concluded.

Reacting to the explosion of imported, FDA-regulated products, materials and ingredients, the agency has proposed reforms designed to better protect the health of American consumers. The problem is getting worse, thanks to rising productivity among Western economies, growing global demand for products, and faster and easier transfer of goods across borders. The four key reforms include partnering with international regulators, developing international data information systems and networks, developing an information gathering system focused on risk analytics, and working with public and private third parties and industry “to allocate FDA resources based on risk.” We can no longer rely on historical tools, activities and approaches,” said Acting Principal Deputy Commissioner of Food and Drugs John M. Taylor.

The use of nanomaterials in food processing is likely to increase significantly in the years to come, once the federal government clarifies its stance on safety issues. According to this Food Safety News report, many discussions focused on nanoparticles during the recent Food Expo scientific sessions, though there were almost no displays of nanoparticles-based food innovations among the thousands of exhibits – a “perplexing” phenomenon. Many exhibitors claimed to be developing food applications using nanoparticles, but declined to talk about them. According to one exhibitor, the main reason for the reticence is "the ongoing concern about possible health hazards or adverse reactions from nanomaterial.” The situation is likely to change only when federal regulators provide a clearer idea of what’s acceptable in food and packaging.