Hot Topics

Food Safety

What could be more personal than the food you eat? The issue of food safety is as close as your next meal. Yet it covers such widespread challenges as food recalls and imports, the state's booming food processing industry, organic growers and school lunch programs.

The UGA College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences stands guard to protect Georgia citizens with food safety research, education and information. Here is just a sample of the many ways CAES looks at this issue and acts to keep food safe.

Impact Statements

Review these reports on food safety issues from CAES faculty in research, teaching and Extension. For more reports, visit the searchable database.

2007 Reports

2006 Reports

Georgia FACES Articles

Here's just a sample of agrosecurity issues in the news generated by the college. For the latest news, visit Georgia FACES.

New UGA Program Focuses on Food Supply Safety
May 17, 2007 — For generations, Americans have had the luxury of giving very little thought to the safety of their food supply. They could eat in peace. Now, it will likely take an educated work force to keep it that way. The University of Georgia has added a new agrosecurity certificate program to focus on the issue.
Read the news release >>
Imported Foods Cause for Concern
August 9, 2007 — A University of Georgia expert says the challenges in ensuring a safe U.S. food supply will continue to grow to unprecedented heights unless solutions are provided quickly.
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Food Products Industry Bright Spot in State
April 12, 2007 — In a year when Georgia's manufacturing sector is expected to have limited growth and heavy job losses, the food products industry is pulling clean of that trend.
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Canned Food Recall Reveals Broad Use of Co-packing
August 16, 2007 — Not every food brand has its own canning and packing facility. Neither does every supermarket or grocery brand. This was clear in two recent canned-food recalls for Castleberry's and Lakeside Foods.
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Incubating New Food Products, Businesses

May 12, 2005 — Using a proposed incubator-type facility, University of Georgia food scientists in Griffin, Ga., plan to help more food industry representatives launch new food products from Georgia commodities.
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What's Good about Pre-Packaged Lunches? Not Much
July 11, 2007 — Prepackaged lunches are just so convenient and so appealing to kids. But are they nutritious? Are they a good buy? For that matter, are they really easy for your child to take to school? No, no and no, says a University of Georgia nutritionist.
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Help Children Prevent, Conquer Illnesses in School
August 23, 2007 — Whether a child's been back at school three weeks, three days or three hours, germs are multiplying. And with the added stress of a new school year, children are more likely to get sick.
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UGA Adds Program in Organic Agriculture
April 19, 2007 — Sales of organic foods have exploded, moving the industry from a niche market to a nationwide phenomenon. In 1989, organic foods accounted for $1.25 billion in U.S. sales. By 2005, that number had jumped to $14 billion. This booming industry needs a steady stream of skilled, educated workers like Erica Mehan.
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Which Sanitizers Keep Fruits and Vegetables Safe?
October, 19, 2006 — Due to E. coli O157:H7 outbreaks, Americans worry about spinach and other bagged produce. But University of Georgia food microbiologist Larry Beuchat says fruits such as blueberries, strawberries and raspberries are safety concerns, too.
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Food Recalls: What Do They Really Mean?
October 30, 2002 — It seems that every day a new recall is announced, warning people of the dangers associated with eating certain foods. You hear these recalls so often they may sometimes fail to register.
Read the news release >>