FSIS released its 2025 research priorities in July, focusing on three key areas: eliminating data gaps in pathogen control, expanding laboratory detection methods, and proposing new studies to advance food safety and prevent foodborne illness.
- FSIS identified three main research priorities: closing data gaps, enhancing detection methods, and proposing new studies for food safety advancement
- Data gaps include support for corrective actions after under-processing, pasteurization effectiveness at lower pH levels, and pathogen genomic analysis expansion
- Enhanced detection needs focus on allergen identification using liquid chromatography mass spectrometry and highly virulent Campylobacter strains in poultry
- Research priorities align with FSIS's strategic goals of preventing foodborne illness, modernizing inspection systems, and achieving operational excellence
- Studies will explore antimicrobial resistance, foodborne illness source attribution in water sources, and pathogen susceptibility to antibiotics like ciprofloxacin
In mid-July, FSIS released its list of top food safety research interest areas. The research priorities reflect needs to (1) eliminate data gaps, (2) expand laboratory detection methods, and (3) propose new studies, the agency says.
FSIS states that the list of priorities are presented as suggestions for researchers preparing grants for submission to agencies that fund food safety research, such as the USDA National Institute of Food and Agriculture, National Institutes of Health, Grants.gov, or other researchers with resources to conduct such research.
Moreover, while FSIS is interested in the proposed research areas, it notes that the data or technologies produced will not necessarily be endorsed by the agency. Nonetheless, research in these areas could be used to help advance FSIS's strategic food safety goals, which the agency defines as:
- Preventing foodborne illness and protecting public health
- Modernizing inspection systems, policies, and scientific approaches
- Achieving operational excellence
FSIS’ first proposed research priority centers around data gaps the agency has identified. These gaps include the need for scientific support for corrective actions following under-processing of meat and poultry patties, effectiveness of pasteurization methods at lower pH levels for liquid egg whites, effectiveness of traditional processes like curing and fermentation in the destruction of Toxoplasma gondii in pork products, and expansion of genomic analysis of pathogen isolates from clinical and non-clinical sources beyond existing sources of data, the agency notes in its July 18 Constituent Update.
Next, FSIS says it identified a need for enhanced allergen detection methods using liquid chromatography mass spectrometry (LCMS) as well as tools to better detect highly virulent strains of Campylobacter in poultry. FSIS’ need for improved detection methods is similar to the agency’s first initiative in its new meat and poultry food safety plan, which involves enhancing microbiological testing.
Lastly, FSIS laid out an interest in exploring foodborne illness source attribution for enteric pathogens present in water sources near regulated facilities. The agency proposes studies focused on antimicrobial resistance, including Salmonella infantis and decreased susceptibility to ciprofloxacin in Salmonella enteritidis.
