FDA Outbreak Investigation of Sprouts Is Complete, CDC Declares Outbreak Is Over
The FDA and CDC, in collaboration with state and local partners, investigated illnesses in a multistate outbreak of Salmonella Bovismorbificans infections linked to broccoli sprouts and microgreens grown from a contaminated seed lot imported from New Zealand.
A total of 34 people infected with the outbreak strain of Salmonella were reported from six states. Illness dates ranged from July 7, 2026, to September 11, 2026. Of the 30 people interviewed, 29 (97%) reported eating sprouts or microgreens. There were three hospitalizations and no deaths.
All affected broccoli sprouts and seeds have been recalled, and FDA’s outbreak investigation was complete, announced the agency on November 4, 2026.
Read the full update here.
AFDO Discusses FSMA’s 15-Year Mark at 2026 American Agricultural Law Association Symposium
Last week’s 47th Annual American Agricultural Law Association (AALA) Educational Symposium featured speakers from law firms, universities, government, and industry to focus on current issues in agricultural and food law.
AFDO President Brad Deacon and Executive Director Steven Mandernach joined Mary Grywatch from Hogan Lovells, for a panel called “FSMA at 15,” which looked back at 15 years of the Food Safety Modernization Act. Deacon also coordinated a joint meeting for attorneys representing various state departments of agriculture and provided a food law update for the group.
The symposium was co-hosted by AALA and the National Agricultural Law Center. Review the full agenda here.
November 20 Fresh Take Fridays Webinar Looks at What AI Can Accomplish
AFDO’s free Fresh Take Fridays series is back this fall. Register below for future sessions.
From ChatGPT and Claude to Desktop Agents: The Next Step in Putting AI to Work
Friday, November 20
This session, part of AFDO’s Fresh Take Fridays spinoff focused on artificial intelligence and tech, introduces the shift to AI tools such as Codex, which are working environments where AI can access files, execute code, analyze data, and more. Registerhere.
Beyond the Label: What Food Safety Professionals Need to Know About Kosher and Halal Foods
Friday, December 4
Learn what makes food kosher or halal, discuss key production and certification considerations, and explore strategies for building effective working relationships between food safety professionals and kosher and halal operations. Register here.
🚨Newly Added!
Using Super Intelligence for Food Safety at the FDA
Friday, December 11
This session, part of AFDO’s Fresh Take Fridays spinoff focused on artificial intelligence and tech, will explore practical, real-world applications of super intelligence (SI) across the food industry, e.g., product identification, labeling and information review, monitoring, data analysis, and food safety decision-making. The webinar also will share examples of how FDA is using the technology. Register here.
All one-hour sessions start at noon ET, so grab your lunch and listen in. You can also catch past Fresh Take Fridays webinars here.
FSIS Asks for Input on Serogroup-Independent STEC Testing Solutions
FSIS requests commercial vendors to share their innovative laboratory rapid screening methods and selective media for detecting and isolating Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli (STEC) present in raw beef and other food products.
Vendors are invited to submit concise information about their STEC testing kits, media, and workflows – especially those for selecting, identifying, and isolating STEC strains independently of serogroup – and highlighting technical capabilities, validation data, and operational requirements. Of particular interest are solutions and methods compatible with meat-based microbiology testing.
For more details, please refer to the official Requests for Information for STEC Detection and STEC Media. The requests close December 8, 2026, at noon ET.
New FoodSHIELD Training Sessions Continue in November
Three new live training sessions start Monday, November 16. Each 30 minute-training demonstrates how to get more out of the new FoodSHIELD portal. Each session begins at 2 p.m. ET, and each session repeats the following week. Recordings will be posted in the training catalog.
Week 3 Schedule:
- Monday, November 16: Your Dashboard
- Wednesday, November 18: Finding People & Organizations
- Friday, November 20: The Portal on Any Device
To see the full schedule and register for the class you want, visit the training catalog.
Use of Certain Substances as Color Additives or in Their Production Is Revoked by FDA
On November 9, 2026, FDA announced it’s revoking authorization for the use of methylene chloride in inks for marketing fruit and vegetables. Also revoked is the authorization for using methylene chloride, ethylene dichloride, and trichloroethylene in the manufacture of the color additives annatto extract, paprika oleoresin, and turmeric oleoresin. The effective date is January 11, 2027.
Read the full update here.
Florida Agriculture Department Has Resources for Produce in Flood Conditions
After recent significant rainfall and flooding, the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services is sharing advice for regulators and producers about produce safety during these events. Learn the difference between floodwater and pooling, what’s involved in a safety assessment, potential contaminant evaluation and migration, crop disposition, and more.
To find more on these topics, click here, or request an on-farm readiness review here.
Cannabis Committee Webinar Series Continues Dec. 4
This presentation will review the regulatory distinction between agricultural hemp products and finished cannabinoid products, with particular attention to how processing methods can affect classification. It will also discuss documented quality and safety concerns identified in commercially available chemically converted cannabinoid products, including impurities, unlabeled by-products, heavy metals, and inaccurate labeling.
Find more details, including presenter information, and register here.
Watch previous sessions of the AFDO Cannabis, Hemp, and Natural Psychedelics Committee webinar series here.
AFDO.org Pro Tips
Risk-Based Inspections Maturity Model
In this regularly updated eNews section, AFDO staffers will share their pro tips on how to get the most from afdo.org. Retail Food Safety Director Deanna Copeland offers a pro tip on using the Risk-Based Inspections Maturity Model.
“Every retail program is somewhere on a risk-based inspection journey, and no two start from the same place. That’s why I love sharing the Risk-Based Inspections Maturity Model. It’s a flexible self-assessment tool that helps leaders see where their program is to map where it can go next, from inspection frequency or staff standardization to program metrics. It’s not a checklist – it’s a guide that works for programs of any size, and it keeps the focus right where it belongs: reducing foodborne illness risk factors.”
Pro Tip: Don’t try to tackle the entire model at once! Each element is evaluated on its own, so pick the one that will make the biggest impact in your program and make that your next step.
ICYMI: Worth Another Look
This Week!
AFDO Committee’s Nov. 13 Webinar Shares How LFFM Advances Laboratory Readiness
Building Stronger Partnerships: FDA Laboratory Flexible Funding Model Successes and APHL Support for Public Health Laboratories, the Friday, November 13, 2026, webinar hosted by AFDO’s Laboratory, Science, and Technology Committee, will explore how the FDA Laboratory Flexible Funding Model (LFFM) helps strengthen state laboratory capacity and capabilities. Experts from FDA and the Association of Public Health Laboratories will share updates, including how LFFM supports a more integrated approach to food safety surveillance and response.
Register for the webinar here.
AFDO Board Meets in Baltimore
The AFDO Board of Directors met at the end of October in Baltimore, Maryland. The board members met with consumer group representatives as well as staff from FDA and USDA to discuss topics such as the BRIDGE project, the summer 2026 cyclospora outbreak, artificial intelligence in food safety, training, and more. The board also discussed planning for next year’s AFDO AEC, June 5-9, 2027, in Glendale, Arizona, and received updates from regional affiliatesAFDOSS, NCAFDO, WAFDO, and more.
Become an AFDO Member or Renew for 2027
The Association of Food and Drug Officials (AFDO) works hard to ensure that state and local regulatory voices are heard at pivotal times in public health. Membership signifies your support of the AFDO mission and the value you see in the significant outreach the association provides.
All memberships provide access to high-value training, needed resources, and opportunities to engage with peers working on similar issues. It also offers the chance to be part of a network where everyone learns from each other and contributes to meaningful progress.
Learn more about the types of AFDO memberships and join or renew for 2027 here.
AFDO Presents at the OC Food Safety Advisory Council in California
Attendees of the Orange County Food Safety Advisory Council meeting October 27, 2026, in Santa Ana, California, heard about the AFDO Retail HACCP Plan Review Service, learned about other AFDO resources, and got a micro course on meat curing for preservation from AFDO Scientific Affairs Director Sally Flowers.
National Sampling Finds Opportunities to Strengthen Listeria Prevention
FSIS experts analyzed a year’s worth of outbreak investigation data to more accurately identify risk factors and improve how the agency will target its resources for better prevention of Listeria monocytogenes.
Based on the analysis, FSIS-trained inspection personnel piloted expanded sampling for food contact and non-food contact surfaces in RTE establishments, updated inspection tasks to target Listeria risk factors, and developed new data visualization tools to support earlier risk identification.
National implementation rolls out in phases beginning January 2027.
$5 Billion Guaranteed Loan Program Expands Processing for Meat Producers
On October 23, 2026, USDA announced it’s making at least $5 billion available in guaranteed loans to meat, poultry, and seafood processors through the new Strengthening Processing for U.S. Ranchers (SPUR) Guaranteed Loan Program. Funds are available to help small, independent, and regional processors expand, improve, and diversify processing capacity.
Additional support includes more than $57 million in tentative awards for 147 projects across 40 states through Round 4 of the Meat and Poultry Processing Expansion Program (MPPEP).
USDA is also investing in state inspection capacity through the Stand-Up Program, offering up to $50 million to help states cover the start-up costs of launching or expanding their own inspection programs.
Read more about SPUR here.
State Manufactured Food Student Internship Program Application Window Open
Submissions are being accepted now from state manufactured food safety programs for a grant to host college-level student interns during summer 2027. This initiative is designed to cultivate the next generation of food safety professionals by offering hands-on experience in a food regulatory program.
The immersive experience not only builds valuable skills but also opens doors – past interns have gone on to secure full-time positions with their host agencies.
For full details, including agency/intern requirements, download the Funding Opportunity Announcement. The application deadline is December 11, 2026.
If you have any questions, visit the AFDO website grant page.
RFFM Grant Program Offers Pathway for Retail Food Regulatory Programs
The 2027-2028 NEHA-FDA Retail Flexible Funding Model (RFFM) Grant Program application cycle is approaching. The application portal opens December 9, 2026. All applications must be submitted by 7:59 p.m. ET on January 27, 2027.
RFFM supports state, local, tribal, and territorial retail food regulatory programs as they advance conformance with FDA’s nine Voluntary National Retail Food Regulatory Program Standards. The program reaches agencies of different sizes and resource levels that collectively regulate millions of retail food establishments nationwide.
Learn more about RFFM and the National Environmental Health Association here. Interested programs may reach out to retailgrants@neha.org or phone 833-575-2404.
Regional Affiliate News
Join the North Central Association of Food and Drug Officials (NCAFDO) for the AFDO affiliate’s next webinar, December 1, 2026, at 10 a.m. ET. The session will bring together familiar faces from across the region to share timely updates on national and local initiatives. From important insights on sustaining a food safety culture, to allergen labeling and the complexities of the ever-evolving cottage foods movement, the discussions will cover emerging trends and real-world challenges.
Speakers include:
- Brad Deacon, AFDO President
- Krystal Martin, NCAFDO Vice President
- Carol D’lima, Ph.D., FDA, Food Technologist, DFLS
- Lillian Hsu, Ph.D., FDA, OII Food National Expert
- Mariah Allen, Division Food Safety Manager, Kroger
- Jodie Burke, Licensing Liaison, Compliance, Minnesota Department of Agriculture
- Emily Hollingsworth, Retail Food Program Manager at Michigan Department of Agriculture & Rural Development
- Nicole Baysal, NCAFDO President
Save the Date: 2027 MCAFDO Annual Educational Conference, March 22-25, 2027
Planning is underway for the 2027 MCAFDO Annual Educational Conference, March 22-25, 2027. The conference will be at the DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel Springfield in Springfield, Missouri. A draft agenda is forthcoming and will eventually be made available on the MCAFDO website. The affiliate is also welcoming awards nominations. Find more information here.
