Note that most newer Food Safety Reviews require sponsor login.
Discusses the contamination of potatoes with spore-forming pathogens (Clostridium botulinum, C. perfringens, and Bacillus cereus)
Discusses volatile compounds that can be associated with the Maillard reaction.
Identifies the ingredients most commonly used in plant-based cheese analogs marketed in the U.S. and identifies what is currently known about the allergenic potential of these ingredients.
Summarizes studies conducted on cereulide in dairy matrices, focusing on the toxin itself or any chemistry of the toxin and with less emphasis on Bacillus cereus growth and toxin production.
The National Advisory Committee on Microbiological Criteria in Foods (NACMCF) responds to questions posed by USDA FSIS on enhancing Salmonella control in poultry products.
import_contacts Food Safety Brief
Information on the composition and microflora (especially yeasts) of brines used with Gouda-style and other cheeses.
import_contacts Food Safety Brief
This brief literature summary discusses the prevalence and control of Sporolactobacillus in food.
import_contacts Food Safety Brief
Discusses which gas mixtures are best for modified atmosphere packaging (MAP) to store ready-to-eat (RTE) meat products
import_contacts Food Safety Brief
Discusses the inactivation of bromelain in pineapple
import_contacts Food Safety Brief
A literature review on the mechanisms for sporistatic and sporicidal effects of food additives.
import_contacts Food Safety Brief
A literature review on novel (i.e., non-chemical) sanitation technologies for food (especially dairy) manufacturing environments, such as blue light.
import_contacts Food Safety Brief
A literature review on the isolation of microorganisms from high salt and/or acidic environments (extremophiles/acidophiles/halophiles).
import_contacts Food Safety Brief
A review of published studies that investigate how industrial microwave treatments affect the nutritional content of food (vs. conventional pasteurization methods)
import_contacts Food Safety Brief
Discusses the pathogens of concern in raw milk extra hard cheese varieties such as Parmesan, Grana Padano, and similar types
import_contacts Food Safety Brief
A review on spoilage microorganisms, spoilage mechanisms in raw and pasteurized milk, and factors associated with spoilage. Includes a list of microbiological spoilage models, highlighting those which focus on dairy and dairy-based data. By FRI science writer Wendy Bedale.
import_contacts Food Safety Brief
This review by FRI science writer Wendy Bedale discusses the possible microbiological concerns associated with rice starch.
import_contacts Food Safety Brief
This document provides a general overview of plant-based cheeses, including their ingredients, quality, food safety risks, sales volumes, and regulations. This review does not discuss plant-based soft cheeses (such as cream cheese, cottage cheese, etc.). Written by FRI science writer Wendy Bedale.
import_contacts Food Safety Brief
A review of the potential food safety hazards associated with coconut oil by FRI science writer Wendy Bedale.
import_contacts Food Safety Brief
Written by Persephone Valentine, Undergraduate Science Writing Intern, Food Research Institute, University of Wisconsin-Madison
FRI associate scientist Kristin Schill moderated an IAFP roundtable discussion on “Opportunities and Challenges: Developments in Clostridium botulinum Challenge Studies” at the 2021 IAFP Annual Meeting. The discussion featured international experts from industry, academia, and government discussing the unique challenges that face food companies who need to conduct C. botulinum challenge studies and highlighted progress in the development of new surrogates for the organism.
This study investigated the effectiveness of cooking processes that incorporated hydrated surface lethality (HSL) steps for ensuring the reduction of Salmonella on the surfaces of small-dimension meat and poultry products cooked using short-duration, high-temperature impingement oven processes. Published in Meat and Muscle Biology.
Chart compiled by Wendy Bedale, FRI Science Writer
import_contacts Food Safety Brief
The purpose of this research is to provide food companies with microbiological profiles of different spices that have been reported previously in the scientific literature. We focused on three key spore-forming bacteria: Bacillus cereus, Clostridium perfringens, and Clostridium botulinum. This information may be of use to the food industry when they evaluate potential hazards associated with spices used in their products as part of their Food Safety Plans. View the Excel chart here.
This study investigated the effectiveness of cooking processes that incorporated hydrated-surface lethality steps for ensuring the reduction of Salmonella on the surfaces of meat and poultry products cooked using short-time, high-temperature impingement oven processes.
import_contacts Food Safety Brief
by Wendy Bedale, FRI Science Writer; published in Food Protection Trends, vol. 39, no. 4, pp. 348-353, Jul 2019
In this video, FRI affiliated faculty member JP van Pijkeren discusses how to analyze a Sanger sequencing chromatogram. It is recommended that you watch the Sanger DNA Sequencing video prior to viewing this one.
import_contacts Food Safety Brief
by Wendy Bedale, FRI Science Writer; published in Food Protection Trends, vol. 38, no. 3, pp. 226-231, May 2018
developed by Wendy Bedale, FRI Science Writer; Kathy Glass, FRI Associate Director and Distinguished Scientist; and Jeff Sindelar, Dept. Animal Sciences, UW-Madison
In this video, FRI affiliated faculty member JP van Pijkeren discusses how Sanger DNA sequencing works.
import_contacts Food Safety Brief
In this video, FRI affiliated faculty member JP van Pijkeren discusses how to use BLAST to find similarities of your sequence (DNA or protein) with sequences in a large database.
In this video, FRI affiliated faculty member JP van Pijkeren discusses bacterial enumeration by spread plating and spot plating methods.
import_contacts Food Safety Brief
by Wendy Bedale, FRI Science Writer; published in Food Safety Magazine EDigest
by Wendy Bedale, FRI Science Writer; published in Food Safety Magazine February/March 2017
by Wendy Bedale, FRI Science Writer; published in Food Protection Trends November/December 2016
by Wendy Bedale, FRI Science Writer; published in Food Protection Trends, vol. 36, no. 2, pp. 146-149, Mar 2016, Volume 36, Issue 2: Pages 146–149
(A workshop on September 22, 2015 - Washington, D.C. - A Collaboration between the ILSI North America Technical Committees on Food Microbiology and Sodium)
Extensive debate continues on how to lower sodium intakes of the population given that previous campaigns, related to labeling and education, have had minimal impact. The workshop objective was to connect the dots with the nutrition and public health community on why sodium reduction has been so challenging due in large part to the variety of microbial and functional roles sodium plays across different food categories. The workshop provided greater knowledge and appreciation of these challenges. Access video presentations from the workshop here.
by Wendy Bedale, FRI Science Writer; published in Food Protection Trends, vol. 35, no. 6, pp. 472-474, Nov 2015
by Wendy Bedale, FRI Science Writer; published in Food Protection Trends March/April 2015
This review summarizes much of the latest information on campylobacteriosis and interventions being used or investigated to reduce contamination of food and water.
import_contacts Food Safety Brief
by Wendy Bedale, FRI Science Writer, and Andy Milkowski, Dept. Animal Sciences, UW-Madison; edited by the American Meat Science Association Scientific Information Committee
This literature search, compiled by Wendy Bedale, Science Writer for the Food Research Institute, covers the use of HPP along with antimicrobials in food.
import_contacts Food Safety Brief
This brief review discusses some food allergen issues of interest to food producers and processors.
import_contacts Food Safety Brief
Pathways for introduction of Listeria into different foods and strategies for preventing contamination and growth in foods are reviewed. Recent data from surveillance studies, outbreak investigations, and economic costs are presented.
import_contacts Food Safety Brief
A recent report of presumptive C. botulinum spores in whey protein concentrate (WPC) generated questions about potential risks and strategies for control of spores in dried dairy products. This document was prepared to address Frequently Asked Questions regarding this episode.
import_contacts Food Safety Brief
This update to the February 2009 FRI white paper on Salmonella discusses important food and non-food vehicles for outbreaks of salmonellosis during the past five years, routes of infection, interventions, current surveillance reports, and antimicrobial resistance.
import_contacts Food Safety Brief
C. difficile, a common cause of diarrhea in healthcare settings, has become more prominent in the community as more virulent strains emerge. This paper reviews data on epidemiology of C. difficile, including the potential for foodborne transmission.
import_contacts Food Safety Brief
D-values references list prepared to accompany the FRI interactive webinar: Calculating Thermal Inactivation of Pathogens
import_contacts Food Safety Brief
Although H. pylori is a known cause of ulcers and gastric cancer, it resides in the gastrointestinal tract of about half the world's population who are usually asymptomatic. Some other Helicobacter species infect mammals, birds and reptiles. Transmission of H. pylori is not well understood because these bacteria enter a viable but nonculturable state when exposed to stressful conditions outside the body.
Appendix: Earlier review on Helicobacter pylori (1997).
import_contacts Food Safety Brief
Human exposure to cyanobacterial toxins primarily occurs through ingestion of contaminated water or shellfish, with some additional exposure through dietary supplements, other foods, and aerosols from lakes with cyanobacterial blooms. This review addresses recent information on microcystins, β-methylamino-L-alanine, paralytic shellfish toxins, and anatoxin-a.
Appendix: Earlier review on the alga Pfiesteria (1998).
import_contacts Food Safety Brief
Sodium affects the taste, texture, and safety of foods; therefore the consequences of reducing sodium levels in various foods must be evaluated carefully. This report reviews health concerns associated with high intakes of sodium, important functions of salt in foods, and potential safety considerations associated with food components that may substitute for some functions of salt in foods.
import_contacts Food Safety Brief
Methicillin-resistant staphylococci: infections in animals and humans, presence in food, and potential food safety implications
import_contacts Food Safety Brief
Waterborne disease agents; surveillance and outbreaks.
import_contacts Food Safety Brief
Human enteric viruses and animal viruses potentially present in foods; outbreaks and effective control methods
import_contacts Food Safety Brief
Epidemiology, detection, outbreaks, infection routes, and interventions
import_contacts Food Safety Brief
Food and non-food vehicles of infection for human outbreaks of salmonellosis, surveillance strategies, and industry initiatives to control Salmonella spp.
import_contacts Food Safety Brief
Adverse health effects of high dietary levels of sodium chloride, important functions of sodium chloride for the flavor, structure, and preservation of foods.
import_contacts Food Safety Brief
Effects of heat, irradiation, and high pressure on avian influenza viruses present in meat and eggs, sanitation methods for environmental decontamination.
import_contacts Food Safety Brief
Bacteria, yeasts, and molds causing food spoilage, factors affecting shelf-life of meats, dairy products, fish, cereals, vegetables, fruits, and juices.
import_contacts Food Safety Brief
Food safety issues related to organic and natural foods, additives and processes approved for these foods.
import_contacts Food Safety Brief
Epidemiology, outbreaks, infection routes, surveillance, regulations, interventions.
import_contacts Food Safety Brief
Technology; Applications; Toxicology and safety issues.
import_contacts Food Safety Brief
Penicillin, tetracyclines, sulfonamides, neomycin, gentamicin, flunixin, streptomycin, arsenicals; withdrawal periods.
import_contacts Food Safety Brief
Cleaning compounds for food contact surfaces, fresh produce, animal carcasses; antimicrobials used in foods.
import_contacts Food Safety Brief
Bacteria of concern (C. botulinum, B. cereus, Listeria, Salmonella, S. aureus, E. coli O157:H7); Importance of salt, emulsifiers, fat, bacteriocins, pH, enzyme-modified cheese.
import_contacts Food Safety Brief
Update of previous review; prion structure, analytical methods; CWD, BSE, and other transmissible spongiform encephalopathies.
Appendix, earlier BSE briefs: historical review, current issues and strategies for control of transmission spongiform encephalopathies (1996–2002).
import_contacts Food Safety Brief
Cardiovascular disease, cancer, different fatty acids.
import_contacts Food Safety Brief
Protozoa, Tapeworms, Anisakis, Trichinella, lung and liver flukes, Ascaris.
Appendix: Earlier review on Cryptosporidium and Cyclospora: Protozoan parasites, waterborne outbreaks, contamination of fresh produce (1996).
import_contacts Food Safety Brief
Heat resistance in uncured and cured meats; Efficiency of different cooling processes; Growth inhibitors.
import_contacts Food Safety Brief
Strain variation; Invasion and Spread; Host Defenses; Virulence factors.
import_contacts Food Safety Brief
Antibiotic resistance; Probiotics and competitive exclusion; Enzymes; Immune modulators; Organic acids; Other feed supplements; Alternative husbandry practices.
import_contacts Food Safety Brief
Safety of growth hormone implants in livestock.
import_contacts Food Safety Brief
RTE products; organic acids, bacteriocins, thermal processes, irradiation, modified atmosphere packaging, high pressure, UV light, Ultrasound.
import_contacts Food Safety Brief
Destruction of microbes; issues of concern; current and proposed applications.
import_contacts Food Safety Brief
Vibrio vulnificus, V. parahaemolyticus; shellfish; wound infections.
import_contacts Food Safety Brief
Food vectors; Guillain-Barre syndrome.
import_contacts Food Safety Brief
Pre- and post-harvest approaches to control DON and fumonisins.
import_contacts Food Safety Brief
Presence in milk; possible link to Crohn's disease.
import_contacts Food Safety Brief
Multiple antibiotic resistance.
import_contacts Food Safety Brief
