FIC Food Industry Consulting

FIC Food Industry Consulting FIC Food Industry Consulting

The FDA has concluded its investigation into the largest recorded multistate cyclosporiasis outbreak in U.S. history, wh...
10/03/2026

The FDA has concluded its investigation into the largest recorded multistate cyclosporiasis outbreak in U.S. history, which was linked to recalled shredded iceberg lettuce sourced from central Mexico by Taylor Farms.

Investigators detected Cyclospora in two environmental samples: one from a wastewater tank at the Taylor Farms de Mexico processing facility and another from a drainage ditch at an iceberg lettuce grower.

The grower is no longer part of Taylor Farms’ supplier program.
The outbreak sickened 12,883 people across 21 states, resulting in 570 hospitalizations and two deaths.

For context, the U.S. reported nearly 20,000 domestically acquired Cyclospora cases overall during the 2026 season, so the Taylor Farms-linked outbreak accounted for a large share of the total.

The CDC declared the outbreak over on September 11.

FDA said the findings provide strong evidence supporting the link to the recalled lettuce, although investigators could not definitively determine how the lettuce became contaminated.

Source: FDA / Reuters, Oct. 2, 2026

Gias Foods has expanded its recall of Bettergoods Authentic Italian Lemon Alfredo Fettuccine to include all lot codes of...
10/03/2026

Gias Foods has expanded its recall of Bettergoods Authentic Italian Lemon Alfredo Fettuccine to include all lot codes of the product because of possible Listeria monocytogenes contamination.

The frozen pasta was sold nationwide at Walmart stores.

The recall was originally limited to two lots, but the October 1 expansion now covers every lot code, regardless of expiration date. The product is sold in a 22 oz yellow package with UPC 194346442706.

The issue was identified through routine sampling conducted by the Washington State Department of Agriculture and the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services, which indicated that finished product may contain the pathogen.

No illnesses have been reported to date.

Consumers are advised to return the recalled product to the place of purchase for a full refund.

Source: FDA, Oct. 1, 2026

Lawyers are seeking authorization for a class-action lawsuit against Driscoll’s in Quebec, Canada, alleging that strawbe...
10/03/2026

Lawyers are seeking authorization for a class-action lawsuit against Driscoll’s in Quebec, Canada, alleging that strawberries, raspberries, blackberries and blueberries sold in Canada contained pesticide or other chemical residues exceeding Canadian regulatory limits.

The proposed action follows allegations from a former Driscoll’s food safety and regulatory compliance manager that millions of pounds of berries shipped to Canada between 2022 and 2024 contained non-compliant residue levels.

The Canadian Food Inspection Agency has reportedly confirmed that some testing detected bifenthrin, iprodione and captan above Canadian limits, although the agency did not specify how many samples were affected or the extent of the exceedances.

The proposed class would cover people who purchased Driscoll’s berries in Quebec since January 1, 2022.

Driscoll’s denies the allegations.

Source: Quebec Superior Court filing / Trudel Johnston & Lespérance, Sept. 28, 2026 / CBC News

New York officials have ordered Big Brook Farm in Lee Center to stop selling raw milk after a sample colleclted by a sta...
10/03/2026

New York officials have ordered Big Brook Farm in Lee Center to stop selling raw milk after a sample colleclted by a state inspector tested positive for Listeria monocytogenes. Follow-up testing confirmed the finding.

The farm cannot resume raw milk sales until testing shows the product is free of the pathogen. No illnesses had been confirmed as of October 1.

The same farm was also subject to a warning in 2024 after Listeria was detected in its raw milk.

Source: New York State Department of Agriculture and Markets

The Philippine Department of Agriculture has imposed a temporary ban on cattle and certain bovine products from the Unit...
10/02/2026

The Philippine Department of Agriculture has imposed a temporary ban on cattle and certain bovine products from the United Kingdom following confirmation of a case of classical bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE), commonly known as “mad cow disease.”

Department Circular No. 50, issued September 21, 2026, covers live cattle, meat and meat products, and bovine processed animal proteins originating from the UK.

The action follows confirmation of a classical BSE case in a cow on a farm in Dumfries and Galloway, Scotland, on August 19.

Scottish authorities said the case was detected through routine surveillance, the affected animal did not enter the human food chain, and Food Standards Scotland determined that the isolated case posed no risk to human health. Investigations into the source of the case remain ongoing.

Source: Philippine Department of Agriculture; Scottish Government

California has become the first U.S. state to establish a voluntary certification program for non-ultraprocessed foods.G...
10/02/2026

California has become the first U.S. state to establish a voluntary certification program for non-ultraprocessed foods.

Governor Gavin Newsom signed AB 2244 on September 28, 2026, creating a “Non-Ultraprocessed Certified” food standard intended to help consumers identify foods that meet the state’s criteria for non-ultraprocessed products.

California describes the program as a voluntary, market-based certification approach, similar in concept to other front-of-package certification programs.

The move builds on California’s broader efforts addressing ultra-processed foods, including legislation adopted in 2025 that established a state definition of ultra-processed foods and a timeline for restricting certain UPFs in schools.

Image note: The labels shown represent existing third-party non-UPF certification programs and are not California’s new state certification seal.

Source: Office of Governor Gavin Newsom, AB 2244, September 28, 2026

A recall of Salata Jalapeño Avocado Dressing has now been classified as Class I by the FDA, the agency’s most serious re...
10/02/2026

A recall of Salata Jalapeño Avocado Dressing has now been classified as Class I by the FDA, the agency’s most serious recall classification, because of potential Salmonella contamination. The classification was assigned on September 29.

The recalled dressing was distributed in Georgia, North Carolina, and Texas, with 1,724 cases affected. The recall includes 12.5 oz bottles and 1-gallon jugs of Salata Jalapeño Avocado Dressing with specified lot codes and expiration dates.

The dressing was made with diced jalapeños associated with the broader Salmonella outbreak linked to jalapeños from Sinaloa, Mexico. That outbreak has sickened 431 people across 32 states and hospitalized 57. No deaths have been reported.

The recall was initiated after Salata Dressings was notified that diced jalapeños used in the product may have been contaminated with Salmonella and potentially associated with the multistate outbreak.

No illnesses have been reported specifically in connection with the Salata dressing.

Source: U.S. FDA / CDC

At least 363 people have become sick and 50 were hospitalized following a Salmonella outbreak linked to a school meal in...
10/02/2026

At least 363 people have become sick and 50 were hospitalized following a Salmonella outbreak linked to a school meal in Prague, Czech Republic.

Authorities found that eggs used to prepare the spaghetti dish were six days past their minimum durability date.

Officials also identified a likely failure to follow the proper cooking procedure.
Salmonella has been laboratory-confirmed in at least 22 people.

Illnesses were reported among schoolchildren, staff, preschool children and seniors who received food prepared by the school kitchen.

Police are also investigating the incident.

Source: Prague Public Health Authority / Czech Radio

Importing food into the USA? Learn the FDA requirements at your own pace.Our Foreign Supplier Verification Programs (F...
10/02/2026

Importing food into the USA? Learn the FDA requirements at your own pace.

Our Foreign Supplier Verification Programs (FSVP) course is delivered in a 100% self-paced, interactive format, built for professionals who need flexibility with their schedule.

Build a strong understanding of the food import requirements through video lessons and several realistic exercises on your own time, with a 1-year access window.

✅ Standardized curriculum recognized by the FDA
✅ Fully self-paced and on-demand
✅ Practical, interactive learning
✅ Earn your official FSPCA certificate

Start anytime: https://training.food-industry.ca/course/fsvpcourse

Prefer a live virtual option? View upcoming instructor-led FSVP training here: https://food-industry.ca/fsvp-training.php/

A new study published in Elsevier’s scientific journal Food Microbiology reports on researchers who developed edible pac...
10/01/2026

A new study published in Elsevier’s scientific journal Food Microbiology reports on researchers who developed edible packaging coatings containing bacteriophages to help control Listeria monocytogenes on cheese.

The researchers incorporated Listex P100, a bacteriophage that targets Listeria, into coatings made from either whey protein or tapioca starch. Bacteriophages are viruses that infect specific bacteria and can cause the bacterial cells to rupture.

The resulting films were very thin: approximately 0.188 mm for the whey-protein film and 0.094 mm for the tapioca-starch film. Unlike conventional plastic packaging, these are edible coatings applied directly to the food surface.

Both formulations maintained phage viability for up to 60 days at 4°C. On artificially contaminated cheese, the phage-containing coatings reduced L. monocytogenes by about 1.1 log CFU/g after 3 days compared with untreated cheese.

The study is a proof-of-concept, but it highlights an interesting direction for food packaging: a thin edible layer that does more than cover the food and can actively help control a foodborne pathogen.

Source: Garofalo et al., Food Microbiology, Volume 138, September 2026, Article 105087.

Address

Mississauga, ON

Opening Hours

Monday 9am - 5pm
Tuesday 9am - 5pm
Wednesday 9am - 5pm
Thursday 9am - 5pm
Friday 9am - 5pm

Website

Alerts

Be the first to know and let us send you an email when FIC Food Industry Consulting posts news and promotions. Your email address will not be used for any other purpose, and you can unsubscribe at any time.

Contact The School

Send a message to FIC Food Industry Consulting:

Shortcuts

Share

Category