Fresh, or raw, milk transported from farms to dairy processing facilities in tanker trucks contains a diverse mix of microbes, which varies from season to season, according to researchers from the University of California, Davis, Davis, Calif.

Scientists at IBM Research – Almaden, San Jose, Calif., discovered that analyzing retail-scanner data from grocery stores against maps of confirmed cases of foodborne illness can speed early investigations.

Alchemy Systems in partnership with the Campden BRI, UK; SQF Institute, Arlington, Va.; British Retail Consortium, UK; SGS, Switzerland; and TSI, Inc., Shoreview, Minn., released the results of a global survey of food companies’ food safety training practices and challenges.

Sample6, Cambridge, Mass., initiated a multi-center collaborative research and development agreement (CRADA) with the FDA’s Center for Food Safety and Nutrition (CFSAN), Center for Veterinary Medicine (CVM) and Winchester Engineering Analytical Center (WEAC) to test Sample6’s bacteriophage-powered, state-of-the-art, in-shift Listeria pathogen testing detection system.

A rapid heating and cooling of milk significantly reduces the amount of harmful bacteria, extending the shelf life by several weeks, according to a study produced by Purdue University, West Lafayette, Ind.

Nearly 70% of respondents agree that throwing away food after the package date has passed reduces the odds of foodborne illness, according to a study produced by SQL Server Reporting Services, a server-based report generating software system from Microsoft Corp., Redmond, Wash.

More than half of American adults (56%) actively seek out nutritional information and guidelines on food labels, according to a report published by Packaged Facts, Rockville, Md.

An ideological rift exists on certain food issues too, according to “2016 Food and Health Survey: Consumer Attitudes Toward Food Safety, Nutrition & Health.”

According to the “Global State of Quality 2 Research: Discoveries 2016” report, 36% of survey respondents said their organization views quality as a strategic asset and competitive differentiator, up from 22% in 2013.

If (or when) a food recall actually occurs, the ability to ensure real-time cradle-to-grave traceability makes it possible for a food company to keep its response within the scope of the actual contamination problem.