Salmonella Outbreak Linked to Eggs Investigation Continues
Illness investigations by the FDA and CDC and their partners are centered on a multistate outbreak of Salmonella Enteritidis infections linked, in part, to shell eggs recalled by Midwest Poultry Services, L.P., according to a July 24, 2026, update from the FDA.
A total of 98 people infected with the outbreak strain have been reported from 17 states, along with 26 hospitalizations, and no deaths reported. Illness start dates range from November 21, 2025, to June 30, 2026.
Midwest Poultry Services, L.P., collected samples from its farms in Texas. The eggs were also distributed in Arkansas, Louisiana, Mississippi, New Mexico, and Oklahoma. Certain samples collected by the firm tested positive for Salmonella.
Read the entire update here.
Need Help Getting Approval to Attend AFDO Training? Ask Wiley
Interested in an AFDO training course but need supervisor approval before registering? Wiley, AFDO’s AI-powered assistant, can help you create a professional justification email in seconds.
Simply tell Wiley which AFDO training course you’re interested in and your role, and it can draft an email highlighting the course benefits, learning objectives, and value to your organization. You can then customize the message and send it to your supervisor for review.
Go to AFDO.org/askwiley to try it out.
2026 AEC Session FSMA @ 15 Recording on YouTube
At this year’s AFDO AEC in June, the annual Glenn W. Kilpatrick Memorial Conversation centered on 15 years of FDA’s Food Safety Modernization Act. FSMA was signed into law on January 4, 2011, and resulted from a collaboration among industry, consumer groups, and government for the most sweeping modernization of the food program since the 1930s. Head to AFDO’s YouTube channel for this discussion that focused on the vision, what has been accomplished so far, what remains to be accomplished, and whether the vision of FSMA has been realized.
Watch it here.
Discover FoodSHIELD 2026 Training
The new self-paced FoodSHIELD Training Series is now available, allowing FDA, USDA, and state and local food safety and laboratory professionals to learn on their own schedule. Explore the redesigned FoodSHIELD portal to find:
- Short, feature-focused videos
- Step-by-step SOPs and quick reference guides
- Monthly live Q&A sessions with recordings available afterward
- No fixed schedule, no deadlines
Register here for an account, or enroll in the training series here.
This Friday
Cannabis Committee Webinar Series Continues This Week
One Plant, One Framework: A Unified, Effect-Based Standard for Cannabis Regulation, is the next session in the AFDO Cannabis, Hemp, and Natural Psychedelics Committee webinar series. On Friday, August 7, 2026, from 1:30 to 4 p.m. ET, learn about the framework of the Whole Plant Act, a model law written for any legislature to adopt and the two instruments built to carry it: an Open Standard tool and a process authority model.
Find more details, including presenter information, and register here.
Watch previous sessions of the AFDO Cannabis, Hemp, and Natural Psychedelics Committee webinar series here.
Connect at the Combination Products Summit November 17-18 in Baltimore
The AFDO/RAPS Healthcare Products Collaborative is hosting the Combination Products Summit. The annual event will convene November 17-18, 2026, at the Hyatt Regency Baltimore Inner Harbor in Baltimore, Maryland. On Monday, November 16, a full-day workshop titled “Navigating Industry Trends: Hot Topics, Regulatory Best Practices, and Drug Delivery Strategies” is available for an additional fee.
Register by October 2 to save with early registration discounts. Book your hotel by October 23 for the best rates in the event room block.
Read more about the conference here.
Wanted: 2027 AFDO AEC Topics
Planning for the next AFDO Annual Educational Conference is underway! Please let AFDO know what subjects, trends, or other areas of discussion you’d like to see covered at the 131st AEC June 5-9, 2027, in Glendale, Arizona.
Submit your suggestions here.
AFDO.org Pro Tips
State Legislation Tracking
In this regularly updated eNews section, AFDO staffers will share their pro tips on how to get the most from afdo.org. Assistant Program Director Steve Moris offers pro tips on how to get the most out of AFDO’s State Legislation Tracking.
“If you’re a state or local food safety program manager, industry representative, or simply interested in legislative issues, keeping up with bills across all 50 states can be a challenge. While most state legislative sessions are winding down for the year, now is the ideal time to begin preparing for next year’s activity. AFDO’s State Legislation Tracking page allows users to review legislation introduced across the country, identify emerging trends, anticipate issues that may arise in their own state, and learn from approaches taken elsewhere. Whether you’re planning for the next legislative session, monitoring topics of interest, or looking for ideas and solutions that have been proposed in other states, this resource helps you stay informed and prepared for what’s ahead.”
Pro Tip: Use the search field in the upper right to narrow down the page’s 900-plus entries by state, commodity, or subject. Search for kratom, cannabis, food additives, and more. You can also review bills from previous sessions in the archive at the bottom of the page.
ICYMI: Worth Another Look
August 18-19
Join a Public Meeting on Listeria Monocytogenes Risk Prevention
Learn the best practices for managing risks posed by L. monocytogenes at the FDA’s public meeting August 18-19, 2026, in College Park, Maryland. Topics for presentations and listening sessions are the advances in control of the cause of foodborne disease, best practices, dose-response modeling, and more.
Days and Times:
Tuesday, 8/18, from 9:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. ET
Wednesday, 8/19, from 9:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. ET
For more details and to learn how to register to attend either in person or virtually, click here.
AFDO Goes to IAFP in New Orleans
The AFDO crew landed in New Orleans for last week’s International Association for Food Protection (IAFP) Annual Meeting. AFDO staffers chatted with attendees and shared what the association can do for them and their teams.
During the event, AFDO Executive Director Steven Mandernach joined a panel discussion called FSMA at 15: Promise, Progress, and Priorities for the Future. The session offered attendees a candid conversation and a chance to gain practical insights from different perspectives, including legal, regulatory, public health, and industry on lessons learned, best practices, and opportunities for innovation in preventive controls, data-driven metrics, and cross-sector collaboration. Moderated by Jennifer McEntire, Food Safety Strategy, other speakers for the session included Sandra Eskin, Stop Foodborne Illness; Donald Prater, FDA; Michael Taylor, STOP Foodborne Illness; and Hilary Thesmar, FMI – The Food Industry Association.
FDA Takes More Steps to Remove Outdated Color Additive Authorizations
On July 22, 2026, the FDA announced it is issuing a final order revoking the authorized use of Orange B as a color additive in food and proposing to revoke the authorized use of Citrus Red No. 2 as a color additive in food. The agency has tentatively concluded that use of Citrus Red No. 2 has been abandoned by industry.
Read the entire bulletin here.
Food Safety Bill Passes out of Senate Committee
Last week, the Making America’s Food Safer Act passed out of committee by a 22-0 roll call vote.
The final bill language is available here.
Video of today’s session is available here.
Last week, U.S. Sens. Tommy Tuberville (R-AL) and Bill Cassidy (R-LA) introduced the Making America’s Food Safer Act (S. 4974), which would expand FDA’s use of accredited third-party certifications, strengthen food safety information sharing with state and local partners, and enhance FDA authorities related to unsafe imported foods. The portion of the bill related to food safety information sharing uses language similar to a previous bill supported by AFDO.
AFDO appreciates Sens. Tuberville and Cassidy for introducing this legislation, the HELP Committee for its support, and the government/regulatory association, industry, and consumer group partners whose efforts helped advance the bill.
Attend FDA Food Protection Seminar in Philadelphia This September
Join stakeholders from state, local, territorial, and tribal regulatory agencies, industry, federal partners, and academia to focus on current and emerging issues in retail food protection at the annual FDA Food Protection Seminar. Hear critical updates on the Retail Food Regulatory Program Standards, Food Code revisions, and FDA initiatives in a collaborative forum.
Attendance is required at the event for all FDA standardized Retail Food Safety Inspection Officers.
Learn more about the three-day seminar (September 16-18) in Philadelphia and register here.
Arkansas Association for Food Protection Meets in Fayetteville September 1-3
The 8th Annual AAFP Conference is September 1-3, 2026, in Fayetteville, Arkansas. The program’s regulatory and public health topics include foodborne illness outbreaks, recalls, food safety culture, emerging AI tools, New World screwworm, alpha-gal syndrome, and more.
Find hotel information and register here.
Regional Affiliate News
This Month!
Register for AFDOSS AEC in Gatlinburg
Association of Food and Drug Officials of the Southern States (AFDOSS) is hosting this year’s AEC back in Gatlinburg, Tennessee, August 23-26. Register here. If you’re interested in sponsoring the conference or donating items for raffles, gift bags, etc., contact AFDOSS Treasurer Craig Nielsen at afdoss.craig@gmail.com.
September 2026 Mega AEC Has Mega Opportunities
The Colorado Environmental Health Association, in partnership with the Western Association of Food and Drug Officials and the Rocky Mountain Food Safety Conference, hosts the Mega Annual Education Conference, September 21-24, 2026, in Lakewood, Colorado, at the Sheraton Denver West Hotel.
“Better Together” is the theme for this year’s meeting, training, education, and networking with environmental health professionals from across Colorado and the western United States.
To read more about the conference, register, or submit an abstract, click here.
Join NEFDOA in Massachusetts for Its Annual Conference This October
Registration is now open for the Northeast Food and Drug Officials Association Annual Conference in historic Northampton, Massachusetts, October 22-23, 2026. Find registration, hotel, and agenda Information at nefdoa.org/events. You can renew NEFDOA membership during the registration process, and interested exhibitors or sponsors can find additional details.
