Botulism Outbreak in ByHeart Infant Formula Investigation Is Underway
The FDA and CDC, in collaboration with the California Department of Public Health (CDPH), Infant Botulism Treatment and Prevention Program (IBTPP), and state and local partners, are investigating an outbreak of 13 infant botulism illnesses from 10 states: Arizona, California (2), Illinois (2), Minnesota, New Jersey, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Texas (2), Washington. There are no deaths reported at this time.
All cases in the August to November 2025 outbreak are reported to have consumed ByHeart-brand powdered infant formula. Officials in several states have collected leftover infant formula for testing; results are expected in the coming weeks.
FDA is working with the firm in a voluntary recall to ensure all potentially impacted product is removed from the market. Investigation is ongoing.
Read the full update here.
Posted 11/12/2025
Elevated Levels of Lead Found in More Ground Cinnamon Products
On November 7, the FDA updated its July 30, 2025, public health alert with an additional product, Venzu Traders cinnamon (dalchini) powder, which contain elevated levels of lead. FDA collected samples of this product and others at retail establishments; exposure to them may be unsafe.
You can read the full list of brands and retailers in the FDA’s public health alert from November 7 here.
Posted 11/12/2025
ICYMI: Worth Another Look
AFDO Board of Directors Members Visit Capitol Hill
Last week, AFDO Board of Directors members, along with representatives from FMI (The Food Industry Association) and International Dairy Foods Association (IDFA), visited Capitol Hill to speak with both U.S. House of Representatives and U.S. Senate appropriations subcommittee staff and appropriators, along with authorizing committee members’ staff.
Topics discussed included:
- State programs’ roles in food safety
- How FDA funds state programs and how those funds are used
- The importance of information sharing between FDA and states
Posted 11/4/2025
Active Investigation Begins in SalmonellaLinked to Moringa Leaf Powder
As a result of FDA’s traceback investigation into an outbreak of SalmonellaRichmond infections that were linked to a single lot of moringa leaf powder from India, all Member’s Mark Super Greens dietary supplement powder has been recalled. The investigation showed that all points of sale, each at a Sam’s Club store, converged at a direct importer of organic moringa leaf power sourced from Vallon Farm Direct PVT Ltd. in India.
Eleven illnesses, including three hospitalizations, were reported in Florida, Kansas, Michigan, New York, North Carolina, South Carolina, and Virginia.
Read FDA’s full notice about the outbreak here.
Posted 11/4/2025
Next Week!
Register for Retail HACCP Webinar November 19
Registration is open for North Carolina State’s next virtual Retail HACCP course, Validation and Verification of Retail HACCP Plans: A Course for Food Regulators. Geared to environmental health specialists, the November 19, 2025, webinar is scheduled from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. ET, and costs $250 to attend.
To learn more about course content, which includes food safety plans for specialized processes, see the instructional hours available, and to register, click here.
Posted 11/4/2025
Updated: Former AFDO President and Texan Dennis Baker Dies at 78
Dennis E. Baker’s obituary is available here. A graveside service is scheduled for Friday, November 14, 2025, at 11:15 a.m. CT, in the Fort Sam Houston National Cemetery, San Antonio, Texas. A celebration of life takes place Saturday, November 15, at 2 p.m. CT in Kingsland, Texas, at the American Legion Hall.
AFDO’s Board of Directors have voted to make a $5,000 donation to the AFDO Endowment Foundation in his honor. Baker, a recipient of AFDO’s Harvey W. Wiley Award, was on the board of trustees of the Endowment Foundation.
The Regulatory Affairs and Regional Director at FDA passed away September 26, 2025. His career began with the Texas Department of Health, Division of Food and Drugs, as an Investigator in the Dallas/Fort Worth area; he was eventually appointed the Bureau Chief, Bureau of Food and Drug Safety.
“Dennis was a great leader and communicator, and he inspired regulatory officials throughout the nation,” says former AFDO Executive Director Joe Corby. “He inspired hope throughout the regulatory community and made us all understand the importance of our profession. As AFDO President, he coordinated state efforts to address early controversial FDA Food Code issues. And his loyalty to state and local officials is well recognized as he continually promoted federal/state collaboration during his years with FDA.”
“Dennis was the only person I ever have encountered who had extensive hands-on knowledge of all FDA-regulated products,” says Cynthia Culmo, chairman of the AFDO Endowment Foundation board of trustees, who worked with Baker, a longtime member of that board, when he was at the Texas Department of Health. “He knew drugs, medical devices, and biologics. He knew every type of food, produce, and seafood. With his strategic vision, unbelievable intelligence, and incredible insight, his legacy — as an FDA Associate Commissioner, the last ACRA to be Congressionally approved under Dr. Jane Henney, and an AFDO president — is woven into the very fabric of food and medical product safety and regulatory science.”
In September 2023, Corby interviewed Baker as part of AFDO’s Conversations with Food Safety Legends video series. Watch it here.
Updated 10/28/2025
Latest Fresh Take Friday Shares Multicultural Safety Training Techniques
In late October, AFDO members tuned in for Challenge to Change: How Oral Culture Training Transforms Food Safety Practices with Rosa Stillwell, Environmental Health Specialist at Boulder County Public Health. She shared some alternative – and effective – training methods for both English and Spanish speakers. Listen to the October 24, 2025, session here.
Also, the Fresh Take Friday with Karen Everstine, Ph.D., MPH, Technical Director for FoodChain ID, is now online, too. Everstine discussed food fraud and its economic and public health threats. She also covered strategies for mitigation, awareness, and managing risk in times of uncertainty.
Watch the October 17 webinar, Regulating the Unseen: Addressing the Economic and Public Health Threats of Food Fraud, here.
Register now for future Fresh Take Fridays webinars:
November 21: Handwashing Madness
December 5: Food Safety Culture: What We’ve Learned From EHS-Net Research
December 12: Understanding the GRAS Loophole and Food Additive Regulation in the U.S.
AFDO Launches 2026 Food Program Manager Workshop
Registration for the 2026 AFDO Food Program Manager Workshop is open. Highly experienced Food Program Managers incorporated their knowledge and experience into this course to help successfully prepare new, existing, and future regulatory program leaders currently employed by a government agency. Participants receive insight into key knowledge areas (e.g., human resources, budgeting, media relations, emergency response) they need to effectively implement their programs.
The training consists of three 4-hour webinars (one each in January, March, and May), and there is an 8-hour in-person session immediately before the June 2026 AFDO Conference in Columbus, Ohio.
For more information, head here.
Posted 10/14/2025
Window Closes Friday!
FDA, ISSC, NCIMS, and AFDO Offer Training Sub Awards to Milk and Shellfish Programs
You can apply now for Training Sub Awards to State and Territorial Milk and Shellfish Programs, which is part of partnership between the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, the National Conference on Interstate Milk Shipments, the Interstate Shellfish Sanitation Conference, and the Association of Food and Drug Officials. These funds support state and territorial (Puerto Rico) agencies with regulatory authority to implement the National Grade “A” Milk Safety Program and/or the National Shellfish Sanitation Program. The application window closes this Friday, November 14, 2025.
Learn more details here.
Posted 10/14/2025
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 2026. This initiative is designed to cultivate the next generation of food safety professionals by offering hands-on experience in a food regulatory program.
This 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 12, 2025.
If you have any questions, visit the AFDO website grant page.
Posted 10/14/2026
Opportunities From AFDO
FD218: Risk-Based Inspection Methods in Retail
This virtual five-day, instructor-led course builds upon concepts from FD215 Managing Retail Food Safety, helping retail food safety inspectors strengthen their ability to conduct risk-based inspections. Participants will apply communication, risk assessment, and time management strategies to evaluate inspection scenarios and determine effective corrective actions.
Dates: December 15-19, 2025
Time: 11:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. ET
You can view the full OTED course announcement here. Register in LearnED here.
Root Cause Analysis for Retail Food Safety
This course develops the skills needed to define the problem, collect data, determine the “why” of the violation or outbreak, and identify solutions by applying the concepts of root cause analysis to reduce risk factor violation occurrence and enhance foodborne illness outbreak investigations.
For more information and to apply, click here.
Dates: February 2-5, 2026
Cost: $400 for AFDO members; $600 for non-members
Basic Inspections and Investigation Course for New Manufactured Food and Retail Regulators
New food regulators who have responsibilities for performing routine and non-routine inspections, and also complaint investigations, have a fundamental learning opportunity in this virtual 5-hour, five-session course. It also covers training for conducting investigations and collecting product samples for analysis by a laboratory (when applicable).
For more information and to apply, click here.
Dates: February 9-13, 2026
Cost: $400 for AFDO members; $500 for non-members
Crucial Conversations for Mastering Dialogue
Do you ever keep your opinion to yourself and then, when you can’t hold it any longer, blurt it out only to offend or upset others? Do you ever keep silent about a matter, hoping someone else shares your concern and will speak up? Attend our next Crucial Conversations for Mastering Dialogue and learn the skills of the world’s best communicators. Gain the confidence and ability to dialogue when stakes are high, opinions vary, and emotions run strong.
For more information and to apply for this virtual course, click here.
Dates: March 2-13, 2026 (2.5 hours per day)
Cost: $450 for AFDO members; $550 for non-members
Food Safety Culture for Regulators With Frank Yiannas
This workshop teaches regulators how to evaluate and strengthen the food safety culture of an organization or establishment they regulate and how to make their regulatory practices and programs more effective. They gain a better understanding of food safety culture, what it is – and what it is not. They’ll also learn must-know organizational and behavioral science principles and how to use them to influence human behavior and enhance employee compliance for the better. Attendees receive practical, real-world applications that will help them become more effective in their current role and better equip them for their next promotion or challenge.
For more information and to apply, click here.
Dates: March 10-11, 2026
Location: San Antonio, Texas
Cost: $400 for AFDO members; $1,200 for non-members
Just added!
Basic Inspection and Investigations Course – Produce
New produce regulators who conduct routine and non-routine inspections, conduct investigations, and collect product samples for analysis by a laboratory have an opportunity for basic and fundamental learning in this virtual course. The hands-on training will benefit those who have learned from ORA LearnED web-based training courses, and it will include live activities and exercises.
For more information and to register, click here.
Dates: March 16-20, 2026
Cost: Free
Root Cause Analysis for Retail Food Safety
This course develops the skills needed to define the problem, collect data, determine the “why” of the violation or outbreak, and identify solutions by applying the concepts of root cause analysis to reduce risk factor violation occurrence and enhance foodborne illness outbreak investigations.
For more information and to apply, click here.
Dates: April 13-16, 2026
Cost: $400 for AFDO members; $600 for non-members
AFDO Training Site Refreshed
Check out afdo.org/training. The site refresh makes it easier to find courses that meet your needs and the needs of your team. Discover courses that are scheduled or coming soon, as well as on-demand webinars and trainings that AFDO can bring to your location.
Updated 11/11/2025
AFDO Committee Calendar
AFDO has used a committee structure for over 100 years, formulating and developing guidance material and model codes, and giving comments to federal agencies on public health matters. These groups provide a vast network for communicating issues, policies, and best practices; members are invited to participate in research and deliberations of all committees. Each committee receives annual charges and submits formal reports of its activities yearly at the AFDO AEC. Interested in joining a committee officially? Click here.
Please note dates and times of 2025 AFDO committee meetings. Nonmembers are welcome to join.
Thursday, November 13, 2025 ––– International and Government Relations Committee
Time: 1 p.m. ET
Zoom meeting
Meeting ID: 161 650 6605
Passcode: 21467
Thursday, November 19, 2025 ––– Cannabis, Hemp, and Natural Psychedelics Committee
Time: 4 p.m. ET
Zoom meeting
Meeting ID: 161 670 1199
Passcode: 927388
Wednesday, December 10, 2025 ––– Professional Development Committee
Time: 2 p.m. ET
Zoom meeting
Meeting ID: 160 769 6438
Passcode: 375538
Thursday, December 11, 2025 ––– Food Recovery Committee
Time: 2 p.m. ET
Zoom meeting
Meeting ID: 160 679 7750
Passcode: 974199
Updated 11/12/2025
What AFDO Can Do for You
New Instructional Video!
50+ Languages Available on AFDO Website
AFDO created a new video to help users find their way around its language translation resources. Check it out here.
Combining and sharing our resources helps all food safety professionals as we work toward educating food employees during inspections. A variety of language resources are collected in one place on the AFDO website in the following formats:
- Posters
- Videos
- Reference documents
Access all these translation resources related to food, drug, cosmetic, and medical product safety here.
Updated 9/30/2025
Search for Targeted Safety Information
Spanning 84 topics, AFDO’s refreshed A to Z Resources page contains an extensive collection of food safety resources for targeted safety information. From bare-hand contact regulatory guidance to produce safety and foodborne outbreak information, the guide offers nearly 7,000 individual resources. Explore by topic, featured resources, or simply search for what you need.
Check it out here.
Posted 7/15//2025
Regional Affiliate News
MCAFDO AEC Goes Virtual in December 2025
Join food safety professionals from Arkansas, Iowa, Kansas, Missouri, Nebraska, Oklahoma, and Texas for three days of insightful presentations, regulatory updates, and critical discussions. The December 2-4, 2025, presenters include top professionals from industry, state and local public health agencies, the FDA, and the United States Army.
You can learn more and register for $25 per attendee here.
Posted 11/4/2025
Food Safety Careers
Share your regulatory government jobs and internship postings on AFDO’s career platform, foodsafetycareers.org. The site offers state-by-state general hiring specifications and a heat map of regulatory food jobs nationwide. Email any current local, state, or federal government jobs or internships to careercenter@afdo.org. Please include the hiring agency name, job title and location (region, county, etc.) with a direct (clickable) link to the job post and the closing deadline (if not continuous).
Career Opportunities
New Position Openings
ARKANSAS
Arkansas Dept. of Agriculture has several Inspector I positions available. Positions are open until filled:
- Springdale – Position #22094676
- Green Forest – Position #22094694
CALIFORNIA
California Dept. of Food and Agriculture:
- Agricultural Biological Technician (Food Safety Laboratory) – Sacramento County. Open until filled.
- Environmental Scientist – Stanislaus County. Open until filled.
FLORIDA
Dept. of Health:
Environmental Specialist I – Venice. Apply by 11/12.
Dept. of Agriculture & Consumer Services:
- Sanitation & Safety Specialist – Various locations, see posting. Apply by 11/18.
- Senior Sanitation & Safety Specialist – Broward/Palm Beach counties. Apply by 11/18.
- Environmental Specialist II – Tallahassee. Apply by 11/17.
- Environmental Specialist II – Bartow. Apply by 11/13.
- Environmental Specialist II – Cedar Key. Apply by 11/19.
GEORGIA
Dept. of Agriculture:
- Agriculture Compliance Specialist 1, 2, 3 – Manufactured Food Specialist – Clarke and 22 additional locations. Open until filled.
- Retail Food – Agriculture Compliance Specialist I – See job posting for locations. Apply by 11/18.
- Retail Food – Agriculture Compliance Specialist I – See job posting for locations. Apply by 11/18.
- Retail Food – Agriculture Compliance Specialist I – Columbus area. Open until filled.
HAWAII
Dept. of Health:
Environmental Health Specialist II – V – Island of Oahu. Open until filled.
LOUISIANA
Louisiana Department of Health:
Sanitarian 1,2,3 – Position open statewide. Open until filled.
MINNESOTA
The Minnesota Dept. of Agriculture (Retail Food Program) has several Retail Food Specialist or Retail Food Advisor positions (depending on qualifications) available in various locations. See job postings. Apply by 11/18.
- Job ID 89834 – St. Paul (telework-eligible)
- Job ID 89891 – Southeastern
- Job ID 89896 – Central
The Minnesota Department of Health (Food, Pools, and Lodging Services Section) has two openings for Environmental Health Consultants (depending on qualifications) available in various locations across Minnesota. Apply by 11/19.
MONTANA
Dept. of Livestock:
Sanitarian Supervisor (25142368) – Preferred location, Helena. Open until filled.
TEXAS
Dept. of State Health Services:
- Sanitarian I – Lubbock. Apply by 11/21.
- Inspector (Food Safety) – Houston. Apply 1/1/26.
- Sanitarian – Midland. Apply by 3/13/26.
- Sanitarian I – Houston. Apply by 3/18/26.
- Sanitarian I (Manufactured Foods) – Arlington. Apply by 3/20/26.
VIRGINIA
Virginia Dept. of Health:
- Environmental Health Specialist – Northumberland. Apply by 11/14.
- Environmental Health Specialist – Montgomery County. Apply by 11/30.
Virginia Dept. of Agriculture and Consumer Services:
Food Safety Specialist – Culpeper. Apply by 11/14.
WASHINGTON
Washington State Dept. of Agriculture:
Chemist 2 – In Training (Food Safety and Pesticide Data Program) – Yakima County. Open until filled.
WYOMING
Dept. of Agriculture:
- Inspection Specialist II (2025-01640) – Powell. Open until filled.
- Inspection Specialist II (2025-02363) – Laramie. Open until filled.
INTERNSHIP
The New Jersey Dept. of Agriculture is accepting applications for its department-wide Internship Program. All internship candidates must submit an internship application to njdainterns@ag.nj.gov.
Updated 11/12/2025
