What to know: Some staff at the FDA and USDA could be headed back to work after mass government firings at the behest of the Department of Governmental Efficiency led by Elon Musk.

The billionaire native of South Africa ordered the firings last week as part of a culling of the federal government workforce ordered by President Trump.

“Illnesses linked to supplement shakes date back to August 2018. Thirty-eight people sick and twelve dead.”

“As the CDC reported (welcome back), as of February 21, 2025, 38 people infected with the outbreak strain of Listeria monocytogenes have been reported from 21 states.”

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An incurable infectious brain disease that’s deadly to deer, elk and moose continues to stalk the land. By 2015, it had expanded to 23 states and two Canadian province since it was first identified in a Colorado captive mule deer research center in 1967.

Now, with Washington state’s first case of chronic wasting disease confirmed in an adult female white-tailed deer that was found dead north of Spokane, the disease, CWD, has been identified in 35 states and 6 Canadian provinces.

What to know: The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has issued warning letters to two companies for failing to comply with the Foreign Supplier Verification Program (FSVP), which ensures imported food meets U.S. safety standards. The warnings, sent to Radhaswamy Inc. (dba Raja Foods LLC) and Garcia Fresh Vegetables LLC, cite repeated violations and a lack of corrective actions following previous inspections.

Get instant alerts on critical food safety outbreaks and recalls to keep you informed and protected. Stay ahead of the latest risks with real-time updates from Food Safety News.

The Food Standards Agency (FSA) has proposed several changes to import controls on food of non-animal origin.

The 14 modifications are for Salmonella, pesticide residues, and aflatoxins in products from countries including Brazil, China, Turkey, and India. Official controls include documentary, identity, and physical examinations such as sampling.

Adulteration, traceability and illegal imports were among suspected food fraud and non-compliance cases discussed recently by European member states.

The number of issues reported was 220 in January 2025. This is down from 248 alerts in December 2024 and 277 in January 2024.