In response to feedback from stakeholders, and after determining there would be minimal public health impact, the FDA is issuing draft guidance that will, if finalized, provide enforcement discretion from the requirements of the Food Traceability Rule for certain smaller retail food establishments (RFEs) and restaurants that were not previously captured as part of the full exemption for small RFEs and restaurants offered as part of the rule. The FDA states that they believe this additional flexibility will maintain the intended public health benefits of the rule as it would only impact a small percentage of total food sales while also providing relief to numerous smaller RFEs and restaurants.
Under the draft policy, the FDA does not intend to enforce any of the requirements of the Food Traceability Rule for RFEs and restaurants whose average monetary value of food sold or provided during the previous three-year period is greater than $250,000 but not more than $1million, adjusted for inflation using 2020 as the baseline year for calculating the adjustment.
FDA plans to offer additional flexibilities for complying with the Food Traceability Rule, beyond this draft enforcement policy for small RFEs and restaurants. Towards that end, the FDA will hold a public meeting on November 6, 2026. The public meeting is free and open to the public, but registration is necessary to attend.
Food Safety Tech Research (FSTR) announced initial findings from its inaugural Food Safety Digital Maturity Benchmark, the first independent study linking digital maturity in food safety operations to measurable performance and ROI. The study surveyed 290 qualified food manufacturing companies against a five stage maturity model combining self-assessment with verified technology adoption and performance data.
The findings are stark. Just 3.4% of the industry has reached full digital integration; most manufacturers remain in the middle of the journey. Every food safety objective measured, from CAPA cycle time to audit readiness, climbed consistently with maturity, and organizations further along the curve are 2.6 times more likely to report strong, quantified ROI.
“This data replaces assumption with evidence,” said David Hatch, Co-Founder and Chief Research Officer of FSTR. “Food companies can learn what separates high performers from the rest, and the paths available for improvement. Solution providers get proof of what actually drives outcomes, and align their product strategies and innovation plans more effectively.”
“The industry has never had a study like this,” said Rick Biros, Founder and President of Innovative Publishing and FSTR Co-Founder. “It provides a roadmap for tech investment based on outcomes instead of marketing hype or perception.”
FSTR will unveil the full findings, plus dedicated ROI and AI adoption analyses, in a working session at the Food Safety Consortium in Washington, D.C., October 21 to 23.
The full findings report will be made available to survey respondents, conference attendees, and via FSTR Advisory Membership. Details are available at foodsafetytech.com/research.
Fontanini Foods LLC, a McCook, Ill., establishment, is recalling approximately 2,320 pounds of raw, frozen pork breakfast sausage products that may be contaminated with foreign material, specifically clear, hard plastic, the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) announced on September 25, 2026.
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The announcement on USDA’s FSIS website, the products subject to recall bear establishment number “EST. 6944” inside the USDA mark of inspection printed on the box. These items were shipped to distributors in California, Florida, Michigan, and Nevada to be served in food service establishments, including restaurants.
The problem was discovered after the firm received two customer complaints regarding clear, hard plastic found in the sausage product.
To date, there have been no confirmed reports of injury or adverse reactions due to consumption of these products.
On September 17, 2026, FDA issued the 2026 edition of the FDA Food Code, which is a model of uniform provisions to assist local, state, tribal, and territorial regulators in safeguarding public health and ensuring food is unadulterated and safe when offered to the consumer at retail and in food service. The Food Code is updated on a biennial cycle to reflect advances in food safety science, regulatory practice, and emerging industry trends.
The 2026 FDA Food Code reflects updates intended to improve public health, regulatory clarity, and implementation, including an exception to allow for double gloving under specific circumstances; a new requirement for written employee illness policies that are maintained and available; and the establishment of an alternative cooling process for foods at retail.
The latest Food Code also addresses a range of food safety topics including sanitizer temperatures, consumer advisories, revised food establishment definition, new mobile food establishment definition, allergen cross-contact clarification, food donations, specialty mushroom hazards, dehydration and freeze-drying guidance, waste receptacle requirements, vending machine controls, and updates to the food establishment inspection report form. A full summary of changes can be found on FDA’s website.
Differences in the 2026 Code from the 2022 edition:
Allergen Rules: The new code tightens allergen safety and enforcement, requiring clearer communication and training to protect customers with food allergies.
Active Managerial Control: It pushes food leaders to take a more active role in preventing food safety mistakes before they happen.
More Documentation: Establishments face heavier tracking and logging requirements to prove daily safety compliance.
Chemical Safety: The update addresses modern chemical concerns, including reviews of food additives, synthetic dyes, and generally recognized as safe (GRAS) ingredients.
Retail Standards: The FDA is releasing a companion manual to help local health departments enforce these rules consistently.
As noted previously, the Food Code represents the FDA’s best advice for a uniform system of provisions that address the safety of food offered at retail and in food service. While it is a model code that is not required, it has been widely adopted by state, local, tribal and territorial agencies that regulate more than one million restaurants, retail food stores, vending operations and food service operations in schools, hospitals, nursing homes, and childcare centers.
Mérieux NutriSciences, announced on August 18 that it has entered into an agreement to acquire Certified Group. According to the announcement on Mérieux’s website, this strategic acquisition reinforces the company’s commitment to delivering highly practical, innovative solutions to the everyday challenges faced by the food and beverage, cosmetics, over-the-counter drugs, reduced-harm nicotine product and supplements industries in North America and beyond.
Certified Group, backed by Warburg Pincus, generates approximately $300 million in revenue through a network of 31 laboratories across North America. The company provides a comprehensive suite of services including core microbiology and chemistry testing services, contract research, certification and audit services, and regulatory consulting. The Certified Group is comprised of three verticals; Food & Beverage, through its Food Safety Net Services and Certified Labs businesses, has leading positions in protein, dairy, packaged foods and FDA Import Services; COS, a recognized expert in cosmetics, OTC products and Supplements testing; and Labstat International, a prominent reduced-harm nicotine product testing lab. These verticals are supported by specialized expert services including Lab Plus (contract research), EAS (regulatory consulting) and FSNS Certification and Audit (certifying body for GFSI and animal welfare audits).
Within the food sector, Certified Group has built a strong reputation as a bellwether for safety and quality in the animal proteins industry, and with extensive expertise in processed food, dairy, nuts, and spices.
By bringing together complementary strengths, Mérieux NutriSciences will provide customers with broader service offerings and enhanced regulatory support. With the North American Food TIC sector estimated at over $2.5 billion*, building a comprehensive, responsive network allows the organization to provide enhanced service delivery and continually invest in advanced lab technology to benefit our customers. Ultimately, this expanded coast-to-coast laboratory footprint will ensure that the company is even closer to its customers, meeting localized, time-sensitive needs with unmatched speed and reliability right where production happens.
As part of its long-term strategy, Mérieux NutriSciences is committed to preserving and growing the Food Safety Net Services (FSNS) business, continuing to invest in the unique specialized testing, special projects, certification and audit requirements of North American beef, pork, and poultry producers.
The transaction is expected to close by the last quarter of 2026, once customary closing conditions have been met.
Dr. Justin Ransom, administrator of the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) will present at this year’s Food Safety Consortium Conference October 21-23 in Washington DC along side, Dr. Donald A. Prater, Acting Deputy Commissioner for Food, FDA.
As the U.S. food safety landscape undergoes major transformation, this session will explore evolving regulatory priorities at FDA and USDA, highlighting modernization efforts in oversight, surveillance and policy. With FDA’s Human Foods Program restructuring and USDA FSIS advancing pathogen control strategies, Dr. Justin Ransom, Administrator, USDA’s FSIS and Dr. Donald A. Prater, Acting Deputy Commissioner for Food, FDA will share updates on a variety of topics including but not limited to the salmonella rule, traceability, preventive controls and ingredient oversight.
As administrator, Dr. Ransom oversees FSIS’ mission to ensure the safety, wholesomeness and proper labeling of America’s commercial supply of meat, poultry and processed egg products. He leads the agency’s modernization efforts, streamlining inspection systems, strengthening public health protections and advancing science-based policies.
Dr. Ransom brings more than 20 years of executive leadership in food safety, quality systems, animal welfare and sustainability. Immediately prior to his appointment, he served as senior director of sustainable food strategy at Tyson Foods, where he spearheaded enterprise-wide sustainability programs. His diverse industry experience also includes roles at McDonald’s and OSI Group, where he managed and advanced complex food supply chains across global markets.
With roots in production agriculture, Dr. Ransom has worked as a scientist, livestock breeder and global supply chain leader, deepening his first-hand knowledge of end-to-end food system management. His career reflects a strong commitment to enterprise collaboration and the seamless integration of food safety practices from farm to fork. He is driven by a genuine passion for protecting the safety and security of American agriculture — from the farmers who produce our food to the consumers who depend on it. He draws on his leadership development experiences to cultivate future leaders and foster strong, high-performing teams grounded in trust, accountability and shared purpose.
He began his public service career at USDA’s Agricultural Marketing Service, contributing to the development of technical standards for the National School Lunch Program, instrument grading systems and international trade facilitation.
Dr. Ransom holds a Bachelor of Science in agricultural communications from Texas Tech University and earned both his Master of Science and doctorate in animal science from Michigan State University and Colorado State University, respectively.
Food Safety Tech today announced the launch of the 2026 Food Safety Tech Excellence Award, a new industry recognition honoring organizations that are putting technology to work to measurably improve food safety.
The award recognizes food and beverage organizations that have implemented innovative technical solutions, including AI driven monitoring, traceability technologies, automated sanitation, and other applications that address real food safety challenges and demonstrate measurable results.
As technology becomes increasingly integrated into food safety and quality operations, the Excellence Award is designed to recognize organizations moving beyond implementation alone and demonstrating how technology can translate into stronger performance, reduced risk, and meaningful operational improvement.
Eligible organizations include food and beverage producers, manufacturers, retailers, and foodservice companies.
Recognizing Results, Not Technology Alone
The Food Safety Tech Excellence Award places particular emphasis on measurable improvement. Nominees will be asked to describe the technology or project, the food safety challenge it was designed to address, how the technology was applied, and the results achieved.
Submissions should include quantitative results where applicable, such as reductions in incident rates or downtime, improved inspection or audit scores, or faster recall response times. Organizations can also demonstrate qualitative improvements in areas including food safety culture and employee engagement.
The award also considers how technology supports broader organizational food safety excellence, including leadership commitment, communication, training, and KPI tracking. Supporting evidence may be submitted to document the impact and metrics associated with the project.
Food Safety Tech Advisory Board to Evaluate Nominations
Nominations will be evaluated by the Food Safety Tech Advisory Board using four criteria designed to assess both the immediate results and the longer term value of each initiative.
Measurable Improvement, 40%
Judges will evaluate the data demonstrating a clear reduction in biological, chemical, or physical food safety risks.
Innovation, 25%
Entries will be evaluated on the originality of the technology or the creativity demonstrated in applying existing tools to food safety challenges.
Sustainability, 25%
Judges will consider the ability of the initiative to deliver continued impact beyond its initial implementation period.
Scalability, 10%
Entries will be evaluated on the potential for the solution to be adopted by other organizations or across different levels of the food supply chain.
Together, the criteria place the greatest emphasis on a fundamental question: Did the technology make food safety measurably better?
Nominations Now Open
Organizations are invited to nominate a qualifying food safety technology initiative for consideration for the 2026 Food Safety Tech Excellence Award.
Submissions should identify the organization and FSQA team, provide a concise title and description of the technology or project, explain the problem it addressed, and document its impact. Nominees may also submit up to five supporting attachments demonstrating the project’s results and metrics.
The award program comes as Food Safety Tech and the Food Safety Consortium mark their 15th anniversary in 2026. This year’s Food Safety Consortium will address technology, innovation, policy, digital transformation, AI, risk management, FSQA benchmarking, and other issues influencing the next phase of food safety.
The 15th Annual Food Safety Consortium Conference & Expo will take place October 21 through 23, 2026, at the Crystal Gateway Marriott in Arlington, Virginia, directly across the Potomac River from Washington, DC. The conference brings together food safety and quality assurance professionals for education, practical knowledge sharing, and industry collaboration.
After more than a decade of informing and connecting the global food safety community through independent journalism, conferences, webinars, and expert insights, Food Safety Tech is expanding its mission with the launch of Food Safety Tech Research (FSTR), a dedicated research and advisory practice focused exclusively on the intersection of food safety, technology, and data driven operational performance.
FSTR is launching with its flagship Food Safety Digital Maturity Benchmark, an independent industry study designed to establish the first comprehensive benchmark of how food and beverage manufacturers are adopting digital technologies, where they are succeeding, where they face barriers, and how digital maturity influences food safety, operational resilience, and business performance.
For years, food companies have invested in software, automation, artificial intelligence, analytics, laboratory systems, traceability, and connected technologies without an independent benchmark to understand what meaningful progress or outcomes looks like. Vendors publish case studies. Analysts publish opinions. Individual organizations measure themselves. Until now, the industry has lacked an independent, research driven benchmark that objectively measures digital maturity and tech use cases across food manufacturing.
Food Safety Tech Research was created to close that gap. Through primary research, advisory services, and longitudinal benchmark studies, FSTR will generate practical intelligence that helps manufacturers make more informed investment decisions while providing solution providers, insurers, investors, and other stakeholders with credible market insights.
“The food industry has reached a point where digital transformation is no longer optional, but organizations still lack independent evidence that helps them separate technology promises from measurable business outcomes,” said David Hatch, Co-Founder and Chief Research Officer of Food Safety Tech Research. “Our goal is to create trusted research-driven insights that helps organizations understand where they are today, where they can improve tomorrow, and how the industry is evolving over time.”
Rick Biros, Founder and President of Innovative Publishing, Publisher of Food Safety Tech, and Co-Founder of Food Safety Tech Research, said the launch represents a natural evolution of Food Safety Tech’s mission. “For over fifteen years, Food Safety Tech has helped the industry understand emerging technologies, regulatory developments, and best practices. FSTR extends that mission by generating original research that the industry can use to make smarter decisions and accelerate meaningful progress.”
The launch also opens participation in the inaugural Food Safety Digital Maturity Benchmark. Qualified professionals from food and beverage manufacturers are invited to contribute confidentially and anonymously. Participants will receive a findings report and a personalized maturity scorecard while helping establish an independent benchmark that will benefit the broader industry.
Take the Food Safety Digital Maturity Benchmark SurveyEarly findings from the benchmark study will be shared throughout the fall, culminating in the official public debut of Food Safety Tech Research during the 15th Anniversary Food Safety Consortium Conference & Expo, October 21 through 23, 2026, in Washington, DC. The conference, organized by Food Safety Tech, will provide the industry’s first opportunity to explore the benchmark findings, discuss emerging trends, and engage directly with FSTR leadership.
Food Safety Tech Research is a subsidiary of Innovative Publishing and operates as the research and advisory division of Food Safety Tech.
According to the FDA’s website, Fresh-cut produce can be particularly susceptible to contamination, which can be introduced in the environment where it’s grown, during transport, during manufacturing, when it’s commingled with other products or at retail, and the opportunity for contamination can be amplified through each of these steps as it makes its way to consumers. Fresh-cut produce does not receive a kill step to eliminate pathogens that may be introduced during these processes and most are sold ready-to-eat. The guidance provides recommendations and examples of how the PCHF requirements can be implemented to protect fresh-cut ready-to-eat produce from contamination with biological hazards.
Fresh-cut produce includes any fruit or vegetable that has been physically altered from its whole state (e.g., by chopping, dicing, peeling, shredding) without additional processing (such as freezing or cooking) and distributed in fresh form. Examples of fresh-cut produce include chopped lettuce, cut cantaloupe, diced onions, and shredded carrots.
The final guidance reflects public comments received on the October 2018 draft guidance and replaces the 2008 FDA fresh-cut produce guidance. This guidance represents the agency’s current thinking on the issues related to preventing contamination in fresh cut produce. The agency encourages the industry to continue advancing and improving food safety practices, including through the development and implementation of Best Practice documents tailored to their specific commodities and processes.
FDA’s guidance documents, including this guidance, do not establish legally enforceable responsibilities. Instead, guidance documents describe the agency’s current thinking on a topic and should be viewed only as recommendations, unless specific regulatory or statutory requirements are cited. The use of the word should in FDA guidance means that something is suggested or recommended but not specifically required.
Coast Citrus Distributors is voluntarily recalling fresh jalapeños due to potential Salmonella contamination, Taylor Fresh Foods is recalling finished products containing jalapeños subject to this recall according to a notification on FDA’s website.
The FDA and CDC, in collaboration with state and local partners, are investigating illnesses in a multistate outbreak of Salmonella infections linked to fresh jalapeños supplied by Coast Citrus Distributors. A grower in Sinaloa, Mexico, that supplies to Coast Citrus Distributors was identified as the potential source in this outbreak.
Taylor Fresh Foods is no longer sourcing products from this farmer and will be filling orders from alternative suppliers. To date, Taylor Fresh Foods is not aware of any reported illnesses linked to its products containing jalapeños.
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