The Committee on Food Microbiology is committed to proactively improving the understanding and control of microbial food safety hazards to enable scientifically informed decision making.
The Food Microbiology Committee achieves its mission through supporting sound science, and fostering collaboration between academia, government, and industry.
How are research priorities identified?
In advance of setting priorities for each new research cycle, the committee and its scientific advisors hold a research roundtable with representatives from federal and international agencies. These include: the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Center for Food Safety and Nutrition (CFSAN) and Office of Food and Veterinary Medicine; the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Agricultural Research Service (ARS), Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS), and National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA); the European Food Safety Authority and; Health Canada. The objective of these roundtable discussions is to identify emerging food microbiology research needs considered critical to public health.
COMMITTEE MEMBERS
Conagra Brands
Deibel Labs
General Mills, Inc.
Kraft Heinz Company
Mondelēz International
National Dairy Council
ACADEMIC ADVISORS
Kathleen Glass, PhD, University of Wisconsin
Abby Snyder, PhD, Cornell University
GOVERNMENT LIAISONS
Kristina Barlow, MS, US Department of Agriculture, Food Safety and Inspection Service
Heather Carleton, PhD, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
Julie Kase, PhD, US Food and Drug Administration, Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition
Jodi Williams, PhD, US Department of Agriculture, National Institute of Food and Agriculture
Read our Op-Eds on Food Safety
- Keys to Understanding Food Recalls: What Every Consumer Should Know
- Dry Sanitation in Food Processing: Enhancing Safety for Low-Moisture Foods
- Hashtags and Hazards: The Dubious Influence of Social Media Trends on Food Safety
- Sharing Data to Protect Public Health: The Why, the What, and the How
- The Role of Data Sharing in Reducing Risky Foodborne Outbreaks
- A Melting Pot of Cultures—and Microbial Risks
Reference Strain Collection
Established in 2001 for Listeria monocytogenes isolates and housed at Cornell University, the Reference Strain Collection was expanded in 2006 to include the strain set and subtyping data that emerged from the committee’s Cronobacter (formerly Enterobacter) sakazakii projects. A 2008 expansion included the strains set of Salmonella resulting from the committee's Salmonella low-moisture projects. Isolates from the collection are available for a minimal charge to investigators around the world. This unique resource provides investigators with a standard set of isolates that improves comparison of research data. The Food Microbiology Committee continues to support the expansion of the strain collection.
Projects Supported by the Committee:
Publications
Evaluation of Bead-Based Assays for the Isolation of Foodborne Viruses from Low-Moisture Foods
Journal of Food Protection, 2020
Identification of Novel Genes Mediating Survival of Salmonella on Low-Moisture Foods via Transposon Sequencing Analysis
Frontiers in Microbiology, 2020
Identification of novel genes mediating survival of the foodborne pathogen Salmonella on low-moisture foods via transposon sequencing analysis.
Survival and Virulence of Listeria monocytogenes During Storage on Chocolate Liquor, Corn Flakes, and Dry-Roasted, Shelled Pistachios at 4ºC and 23ºC
Journal of Food Protection, 2020
The survival and virulence of Listeria monocytogenes was assessed during storage on three low-moisture foods: chocolate liquor, corn flakes and shelled, dry-roasted pistachios.
Listeria monocytogenes in Almond Meal: Desiccation Stability and Isothermal Inactivation
Frontiers in Microbiology, 2020
This study contributes to our understanding of L. monocytogenes in nuts and impacts of aw on the development of thermal resistance in low-moisture foods.
Inactivation of Salmonella and Listeria monocytogenes on Dried Fruit, Pistachio Nuts, Cornflakes and Chocolate Crumb Using a Peracetic Acid-Ethanol Based Sanitizer or Advanced Oxidation Process
International Journal of Food Microbiology, 2020
A study of the inactivation of Salmonella and Listeria monocytogenes on model low moisture foods.
Events
IAFP 2020 Annual Meeting
October 26, 2020 – October 28, 2020
Virtual, USA
Each year, the International Association for Food Protection hosts an Annual Meeting, providing attendees with information on current and emerging food safety issues, the latest science, innovative solutions to new and recurring problems, and the opportunity to network with thousands of food safety professionals from around the globe. IAFNS is supporting four sessions at the 2020 IAFP Annual Meeting.