Food Safety & Microbiology

Food safety in 2027 is being reshaped by FSMA Section 204 traceability rules taking full effect, whole-genome sequencing of foodborne pathogens through GenomeTrakr and PulseNet 2.0, and rapid molecular detection platforms displacing classical culture methods. The track will examine Listeria monocytogenes harborage in ready-to-eat environments, Salmonella outbreaks linked to low-moisture foods and produce, the EU FBO and FSIS pathogen-reduction standards, and the integration of AI-driven environmental monitoring into HACCP and HARPC plans. Sessions will also cover blockchain-backed traceability (IBM Food Trust, Connecting Food) and CRISPR-Cas-based biosensors for on-line pathogen detection.