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Newsletter Volume 15, Issue 23
Hi FSQA Professional, FDA announced the new Food Code about six hours after yesterday's newsletter went out. One of the differences in the 2026 Code versus the 2022 Code is the tightening of Allergen enforecement.
At the Food Safety Consortium we have two very interesting sessions on Allergens that I invite you to check out.
If you haven't already, nominate your company for the Food Safety Tech Excellence Award and take the Food Safety Digital Maturity Study.
Click on the headlines to open the links that allow you to read the complete articles, register for the webinar or to download the whitepaper or eBook.
You can always read the most current articles and search archived FSQA articles from FST's Home Page. Thank you for your interest in Food Safety Tech.
Until next week or the next big story, Cheers! Rick Biros, Content Director, Publisher and Founder.
Beltway Beat
The 2026 FDA Food Code differs from the 2022 edition by tightening allergen enforcement, expanding record keeping rules, and adding modern safety science for chemical additives and managerial oversight.
Allergen Sessions at the Consortium
The Future of Safe Dining: Allergen Transparency at Scale.
A leadership conversation with the brands shaping the next era of food service safety. Moderated by Betsy Craig, CEO and Founder, MenuTrinfo, LLC.
Panelists:
Jasmine Hagan, Director of Total Quality and Food Safety, Red Lobster
Neil O'Conner, Director, Food Safety | Global Operations, Marriott International
Nicole Martino, Nutritionist and Food Allergy Specialist, EPIC Universe and Universal Orlando Resort
Brandon Mathias, Food Safety & Allergen Program Manager, Aramark
Key Takeaways - Why allergen safety is moving from a compliance issue to a brand trust strategy. - The operational lessons learned from managing allergen safety across universities, hotels, restaurants, and large-scale food service environments. - How collaboration between food safety leaders, operators, and training partners is creating safer dining experiences for millions of guests.
Reading the Signals – Alpha-Gal and the Future of Food Allergen Safety
Steven Gendel, Ph.D., Principal, Gendel Food Safety LLC
The efficacy of the food allergen safety system rests on a set of widely held assumptions about the nature of food allergens and the physiology of sensitization. While these assumptions have shaped current regulatory policies and control plans, it is important to assess how well the system can recognize and respond to changes that challenge them. Alpha-Gal Syndrome (AGS) is an emerging issue that challenges many of the assumptions underlying the allergen safety system.
This session will show that AGS serves as a case study of the system's ability to respond to an emerging hazard with a previously unrecognized etiology. This will include consideration of the implications for labeling and transparency, as well as the risks associated with using food ingredients in drugs and dietary supplements. Further, the role of AGS as a signal of the future impact of broader environmental changes on food safety will be discussed.
Participate in the Food Safety Digital Maturity Benchmark Survey.
Your voice is critically important to the findings. Please help us to gain intelligence about technology’s role in supporting improvement of food safety outcomes, and the business return on tech investment that leadership can understand
It will only take 8-10 minutes. At the end of the Survey, there will be a 20% discount code that you can use when registering for the Food Safety Consortium Conference.
Nominate your Company and FSQA Team for the Food Safety Tech Excellence Award
The Excellence Award recognizes food and beverage organizations that have implemented innovative technical solutions, including AI driven monitoring, traceability technologies, automated sanitation, and other applications that address real food safety challenges and demonstrate how technology can translate into stronger performance, reduced risk, and meaningful operational improvement. Submission Deadline: September 23, 2026
Food Safety eBooks
Modern food safety programs require more than routine testing. Learn how HACCP-driven strategies, PCR pathogen detection, and connected diagnostics help food manufacturers improve prevention, strengthen compliance, and respond faster to risk. In this eBook you will learn:
• How to build a HACCP-based testing strategy.
• Environmental vs. product testing best practices.
• Why PCR plays a critical role in modern food safety.
• Key factors that impact PCR performance and reliability.
• How connected diagnostics support faster decision-making.
Thought Leadership and Demand Generation Opportunities for FSQA Technology & Service Providers
