Food Safety Watch is an independent scientific and technical information service for food industry professionals.

Visitors can keep up-to-date with the latest international food safety news and comment and access a growing collection of carefully researched feature articles and fact-sheets on a broad range of key food safety topics, including - Foodborne pathogens (Salmonella, Listeria and E. coli), biological toxins (mycotoxins, and shellfish toxins), chemical contaminants (acrylamide, dioxins and antibiotics), food allergens, HACCP and food safety legislation.

Food Safety Watch members can also access our full library of over 100 food safety hazard fact sheets and our news archives and benefit from our free member's enquiry service. For more information on membership click here.

News Headlines: 28 April - 11 May 2012 Report examines links between food safety and animal health; Campylobacter main cause of UK food poisoning outbreaks; Salmonella outbreak in humans linked to dry dog food; USDA announces . . . more News Headlines: 24 March - 27 April 2012 EFSA re-evaluates bisphenol A safety; Cured fish product linked to botulism cases; Salmonella outbreak linked to tuna used in sushi; 'Hypervirulent' Salmonella strains discovered; a . . . more News Headlines: 10 - 23 March 2012 Antibiotic resistant bacteria common in agricultural soils; High pressure decontamination of green onions; CFIA updates Health Hazard Alert for beef products; CDC research highlights ris . . . more More

ACRYLAMIDE UPDATE - a progress report on how the food industry is tackling this contaminant It is now more than eight years since the discovery that a potentially carcinogenic contaminant could be produced in some foods during processing. A lot of progress has been made since then, but there is still a lot we don't know about acrylamide. . . . more THE NATURAL ALTERNATIVE - antimicrobial compounds derived from nature as an alternative to synthetic preservatives in food Preservatives have been on the receiving end of some very negative publicity in recent years. Here we explore the potential for using antimicrobial compounds derived from nature as an alternative to synthetic preservatives in food . . . more SOMETHING IN THE AIR - techniques for monitoring airborne microorganisms Controlling levels of microbial contamination in the air around sensitive processing and packing operations has become an increasingly important part of hygienic food manufacturing in recent years. Despite this, the methods routinely used for monitoring the microbiological quality of the air in food factories have lagged behind those available for other applications. . . . more A REVOLUTION IN THE MICROBIOLOGY LABORATORY Until comparatively recently, the tools available to the food microbiologist were antiquated in comparison with those at the disposal of analytical chemistry and other disciplines. After a long wait, the revolution in molecular biology that has already changed other branches of microbiology beyond recognition is set to propel food microbiology into the twenty-first century. . . . more SALAD DAYS (Part II) - an investigation into the microbiological safety of prepared salads Food poisoning outbreaks caused by leafy green salad vegetables, such as lettuce and spinach, have been making food safety headlines on a regular basis over the last few years, especially in the USA. In the second part of this two-part feature, we look at how contamination occurs, how it can be controlled and some of the latest research on the interactions between pathogenic bacteria and plants. . . . more More