The Safe Quality Food Institute has released Edition 10 of the SQF Code, highlighting the importance of food safety culture, change management and training. The code, developed in collaboration with industry experts, reflects current market realities. The new edition introduces a Food Safety Culture Plan and reinforces the necessity of clear objectives and performance measures.

Emerging foodborne viruses are becoming a growing concern, with norovirus, hepatitis A and hepatitis E already causing significant health and economic impacts, but microbiological risk assessment can play a vital role in understanding and managing these threats, according to Jeffrey LeJeune. This process involves exposure assessment, hazard identification and risk characterization, providing a structured approach to evaluate viruses' potential impact on food and developing appropriate control measures.

Hydroxyl-radical sanitizing technology using short-lived antimicrobial agents has been proven effective in eliminating pathogens such as E. coli, Salmonella, Pseudomonas and Aspergillus from hatching eggs without harming chicks, according to a study in Poultry Science. These are generated through the UV-C degradation of hydrogen peroxide vapor and ozone gas, ensuring the safe eradication of pathogens without harming the chicks, unlike the current disinfectant, formaldehyde.

FPI has made significant strides in developing advanced Chinese scientific instruments for food safety testing, including LC-MS/MS and ICP-MS. These instruments are designed to meet international standards and address challenges like data security, high costs and maintenance associated with imported equipment, while providing efficient and intelligent solutions for laboratories in the country.

Food businesses are adopting low-waste practices to align with sustainability goals without compromising safety. By training staff in proper storage and inventory management, along with repurposing ingredients and donating surplus food, companies can significantly reduce waste. On top of that, collaboration among farmers, regulators and industry leaders can drive the adoption of technologies and practices that protect food safety and sustainability to support a cohesive approach.

The Alliance for Natural Health has released a white paper responding to Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.'s directive to explore eliminating the "self-affirmed" Generally Recognized as Safe (GRAS) pathway. The authors suggest a targeted approach to regulation that prioritizes removing unsafe substances and proposes key reforms, including a public transparency register and a tiered risk assessment system.

Pests pose risks to crop health, can reduce crop yield, and threaten food safety. SQFI has developed a new Integrated Pest Management Sustainability Addendum in response to Walmart and other retailers' drive for suppliers to improve pollinator health. Learn how IPM promotes responsible pesticide use and practices to protect pollinators, soil organisms and our food system. Learn more.

SQF Fundamentals Global Markets Certification for Primary Production, Food and Packaging and Storage and Distribution operations. Choose from Basic GMP-based or HACCP-based Intermediate level. SQF Fundamentals Global Markets Certification gets you on your way to grow your business and prepare for GFSI benchmarked SQF Food Safety Code Certification in the future!