Listeria Contamination

Enoki Mushrooms. Two California-based companies have recalled enoki mushroom products after testing identified potential contamination with Listeria monocytogenes according to a FDA report on May 14, 2026. HH Fresh Trading of Los Angeles recalled 120 cases of the enoki mushrooms distributed to Texas and Florida through local wholesalers. IQ Produce LLC of Vernon, California also recalled 528 cases after the FDA identified Listeria monocytogenes contamination. No illnesses have been reported in connection with either recall.

Headcheese. Lab tests have shown that Daisy Brand headcheese is the source of Listeria monocytogenes in a foodborne illness outbreak. The headcheese was distributed to retail deli locations in Illinois and Indiana. The USDA Food Safety and Inspection Service is reporting that whole genome sequencing test results show that Daisy Brand headcheese collected in unopened packages by the agency is positive for the outbreak strain of Listeria. The headcheese was produced at Crawford Sausage Co. Headcheese is a ready to eat pork deli meat product typically made from meat and seasonings that are cooked together to form a loaf or jelly-style product.

eCcoli Contamination

Broccoli Microgreens. The Canadian Food Inspection Agency issued a recall for Les Lufa brand broccoli microgreens due to possible contamination with pathogenic E. coli. The broccoli was sold online in Ontario and Quebec between 20 April and 8 May, 2026. The recall was initiated by the company and has been linked to no illnesses.

Ground Beef (suspect). FSIS reported there was an outbreak of E. coli in May 2026. The suspect source was ground beef. No other data was provided.

Salmonella

Multi-Country Outbreak. Between January and May, 2026, 62 cases of Salmonella Stanley have been reported from Austria, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, France, Germany, Lithuania, Netherlands, the UK and the USA. No source had yet been identified. Whole genome sequencing of the bacteria isolated from patients showed that they were closely genetically related. This means there is likely a common source of the infection.

Blackstone Recall. Blackstone Products had a market safety recall of its Parmesan Ranch seasoning due to a potential Salmonella contamination.

Kroger Recall. On 18 May, 2026 Kroger had a market safety withdrawal of Sugar Foods, LLC cheese and garlic croutons due to a potential Salmonella contamination.

Malazi Recall. On 18 May, 2026, Malazi had a market safety withdrawal of Nassar Investment Co., LLC Tahina due Salmonella contamination.

Restaurant Contamination. The Piper Arms restaurant in Stone Creek, Ontario, Canada has finally reopened after being closed since April 13, 2026 due to an outbreak of Salmonella. There are 29 confirmed patients, 57 patients who are awaiting confirmation, and nine patients who have been hospitalized. Evidence suggests cross-contamination contributed to transmission within the premises rather than a sole food item as the source of the illness.

Outbreak at Jail. Local media in Sount Bend IN are reporting that 23 inmates at a country jail are part of a Salmonella outbreak. The inmates became sick on April 29 with symptoms including diarrhea, dehydration, and fever. The jail’s medical staff determined the Illnesses were caused by Salmonella. The immediate source of the contamination was not found.

Cantaloupe Outbreak Over. The CDC has declared that a Salmonella Newport outbreak traced to cantaloupe has ended. The agency had not previously reported the outbreak to the public, which had sickened at least 70 people from 25 states. The Samonella Newport strain was linked to cantaloupe imported from Guatemala ay Ayco Farms Inc. of Pompano Beach, Florida. No product from the farms will enter US commerce until the companies have demonstrated that they have overcome the violations that resulted in the outbreak.

Clostridium botulinum Contamination

Fish Contamination. Terra Medi, LLC had a Hellas Meze Golden Smoked Whole Herring market withdrawal due to a potential for Clostridium botulinum contamination.

Wild Mushroom Deaths

An outbreak of mushroom poisonings in California is the largest in US history according to health officials. The mushrooms have sickened 47 people, killing four. Four of the patients required liver transplants. The mushrooms were likely Death Cap and Western Destroying Angel mushrooms which have been collected in a wide variety of locations across northern and central coastal areas outside the Monterey and San Francisco Bay areas. These amatoxin containing mushrooms are unexpectedly blooming beyond normal seasonal expectations

Fusarium Wilt of Bananas

Banana production in South-East Asia, Africa, and South America, continues to face pressure from a highly destructive soil-borne pathogen, Fusarium Wilt, also known as Tropical Race 4 (TR4). TR4 infects plant roots and persists in soil for decades, with no direct control once established. It affects multiple banana varieties.

Yellow Vein Chlorosis infecting Citrus Trees.

Yellow Vein Chlorosis in citrus plantations in Alicante, Spain, has caused great concern among growers, as there is no treatment against the virus, and the removal of affected trees is required to prevent it from spreading.

Metal Fragment Contamination

The Straus Family Creamery had a voluntary safety withdrawal of various ice cream products in both pint and quart sizes due to the presence of metal fragments.

 

Pesticides and Herbicides

Pesticide residue on Driscoll Strawberries. Testing of both conventional and organic Driscoll strawberries purchased from a Southern California grocery store and submitted to an EPA-certified lab in Virginia, detected 12 pesticide residues on the conventional strawberries with 8 of the compounds identified as PFAS-linked pesticides or related fluorinated compounds. PFAS (per-and polyfluoroalkyl substances) are synthetic chemicals used in products designed to resist heat, grease, water, and stains. The compounds degrade slowly and may accumulate in PFAS exposure to the environment and the human body over time.  Exposure to PFAS has been linked to increase risks of kidney and testicular cancer and certain PFAS compounds are classified as Group 1 carcinogens.

Vermont Bans Paraquat. Vermont is first US state to ban the herbicide paraquat. The law will take effect on 1 November. A special permit may allow paraquat use on fruit-producing orchards, berries, and other small fruit crops until 31 December 2030. NIH studies have linked paraquat exposure to increased risk of Parkinson’s disease. Studies have also connected the herbicide exposure to non-Hodgkin lymphoma and childhood leukemia. Paraquat remains on the most widely used herbicides in the US and is used on crops, to include soybeans, cotton, corn, grapes, pistachios and peanuts. Syngenta, a longtime manufacturer of the herbicide, states there is no credible evidence linking it to Parkinsons. However, there are currently more than 8,000 pending cases on this issue in US courts, and Syngenta has announced it will stop manufacturing paraquat.

US Supreme Court Oral Argument on Roundup. The US Supreme Court heard oral arguments earlier this month over the role of the weedkiller Roundup in individual cancer cases. The case will involve the tension between federal and state rules governing potentially cancer-causing substances.

Politics Related to BioSecurity Concerns

The Iran War. The closure of the Strait of Hormuz, through which not only oil and natural gas but also fertilizer is shipped, is hitting global food production, particularly in poor countries where farmers are more vulnerable to sudden cost increases. Concern is growing, especially across Asia and developing world, that prolonged food price rises could lead to shortages if farmers abandon fields or use less fertilizer.

The war, and new Chinese export restrictions, have sent sulfuric-acid prices soaring and raised concerns about the availability of a chemical that the world relies on for food, metal, paper, computer chips and clean water. Sulfuric acid is used to produce phosphate fertilizers. As much of the world’s sulfur comes from the Persian Gulf oil refineries and gas plants which have been choked off at the strait, there is a threat to fertilizer and food supply. This has prompted China, the world’s biggest sulfur producer, to restrict exports this May, boosting prices and further straining availability. The WSJ noted that the markets likely to hit hardest by Chinese export controls are Chile and Indonesia.

In the US, farmers overseeing million of acres of land from North Dakota to Kentucky are changing which crop seeds to plant, cutting fertilizer purchases and using fewer seeds. A likely switch will be to plant more soy and less corn, as soybeans require less fertilizer

Changes at the Food and Drug Administration. There have been significant personnel changes in the Health and Human Services (DHS). The Commissioner of DHS’s Food and Drug Administration  (FDA), Marty Makary has left, along with much of the FDA’s senior leadership and scientific personnel. Tracy Beth Hoeg, the head of the FDA drug division has announced she is also leaving. She is the fifth person to hold this position since President Trump took office. The current acting head of the FDA is Kyle Diamantas, a lawyer who has represented Abbott Labs in the past. According to the Wall Street Journal, because of the change of leadership at the FDA, drug investors have moved past the FDA chaos and now see the MAHA (Make American Healthy Again) threat as diminished.

The US Farm Bill. The five-year plan to lay out the budget for farmers and food-poverty programs was passed by the US House of Representatives. The primary dispute of the farm bill centers on whether makers of pesticides should be shielded from lawsuits. (See concerns with paraquat, above.) The corn fuel lobby also held up the bill, seeking a change in the law that would permit the year-round sale of E15 fuel (which consists of 15% ethanol and 85% gasoline) and limits waivers from the Renewable Fuel Standard (ethanol mandates) for small refiners. The Senate now will take up the bill.

Horse Meat. Over the past 20 years no horse has been legally slaughtered for human consumption in the U.S. While there is no law banning horse slaughter, and Congress has not made it illegal to eat horse meat. This is because there are no required USDA inspectors on site during slaughter, which means that no horse meat can be sold legally in the US.

However, exporting horses from the US for all purposes remains strong. It is perfectly legal to eat chevaline (horse meat) in most other countries. Exports increased from January to February 2026 by 42.5%, rising from $12.2 to $17.4 million. Japan, Mexico, Ireland Canada, and China were top buyers in 2026.

Other Foreign Biosecurity Issues

Ban on Prince William Island Potato Wart Disease. The National Potato Council and 13 U.S. state potato organizations have asked the U.S. Department of Agriculture to reinstate a ban on fresh potato imports from Prince Edward Island following a new detection of Potato Wart disease in a previously unregulated field. The organizations stated that the latest case indicates the disease extends beyond previously known areas. According to the Canadian Food Inspection Agency, the fungus can survive in soil for more than 40 years and currently has no chemical treatment for eradication. The U.S. industry has raised concerns over mitigation measures since a temporary suspension was lifted in May, 2022.

Philippines Launch Rapid Heavy Metal Crop Testing. The Department of Agriculture in the Philippines has partnered with the Philippine Nuclear Research Institute to develop rapid, non-destructive heavy metal detection systems for crops in the Davao Region. The system focuses on testing methods that allow crops to be screened for contaminants without damaging samples. The technology will provide faster crop testing while improving food safety monitoring and will be used for high-value crops like coconut, mango, corn, banana, cacao, coffee and cabbage.

Ecuador Ban of Insecticide. Ecuador has officially prohibited the import and registration of the insecticide chlorpyrifos. The ban was enacted by Agrocalidad, the Agency for Phytosanitary and Zoosanitary Regulation and Control by a resolution published May 19, 2026. Ecuador’s ban aligns with a global shift away from organophosphate insecticides influenced by market demands from the EU and the US.