Food Research Institute

FRI affiliate Federico Rey was part of a recent study that shows that a compound called imidazole propionate (ImP) — produced in the gut by some types of bacteria — plays an important role in brain changes that result in Alzheimer’s disease and related cases of dementia.

Researchers identify new target in the gut for reducing Alzheimer’s risk Gut bacteria produce a common compound called imidazole propionate. Higher levels of it contribute to dementia-related changes in the brain, a study reveals.

Registration is open through Sept. 18 for the Root Cause Analysis Conference, to be held Oct. 6–7 at General Mills in Golden Valley, Minn. Organized by FRI, the Institute for Food Safety and Health (IFSH), and IAFNS - Advancing Food and Nutrition Sciences, this two-day industry-focused conference explores practical, advanced approaches to Root Cause Analysis (RCA), corrective action, and risk mitigation in food safety systems. The program examines why failures occur despite established controls and how effective RCA can prevent recurrence. Topics include determining when RCA is warranted, scaling investigations appropriately, and managing familiar challenges such as resource constraints, incomplete data, and investigation fatigue. Sessions also address the use of microbiological and environmental monitoring data, including trend analysis and whole genome sequencing, to support sound decision-making. Additional discussions focus on regulatory expectations, communication during investigations, and translating RCA outcomes into sustainable system improvements. By integrating regulatory perspectives with industry experience, this program equips participants with practical tools to strengthen RCA processes, improve risk-based decisions, and enhance overall food safety performance across operations.

Register now: https://reg.cerc.wisc.edu/en/HpHEDmC7/root-cause-analysis-corrective-action-mitigation-strategies-and-common-pitfalls-5a1bWj9BB7p/overview
Learn more: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1CDwp-y3xAZt4pbQv6AsNfvZBnT4rO60WV_C3ipCoMb8/edit?usp=sharing

Congratulations to FRI affiliate faculty member Sara Gragg, who is a co-PI of a research proposal, “A machine learning prediction model of weather extremes of U.S. agriculture industry,” that recently was chosen for funding by the Igniting Interdisciplinary Innovation initiative at the University of Wisconsin–Madison: https://research.wisc.edu/uncategorized/2026/07/27/a-machine-learning-prediction-model-of-weather-extremes-for-u-s-agricultural-industry/

Read the August issue of FRI eNews for the latest food safety news, events, and literature: https://app.explore.wisc.edu/e/es?s=1427524768&e=2516727&elqTrackId=6bf940c8fcbe4d2896cdc087ece57e37&elq=eb32bdac7b0d4908bcb3c46b0001944b&elqaid=86235&elqat=1&elqak=8AF5B37DA84F3FDEA8EAF645EFAD0040B988B7669DB9AD1F4DCD201CD139AEC90BBC

FRI director Jan-Peter van Pijkeren was recently a featured researcher by the Wisconsin Alumni Research Foundation (WARF).

Meet UW-Madison’s Jan-Peter van Pijkeren “We are very excited about the potential applications of the technologies developed by JP. We believe that this platform can make a different in several industries.”

A new FAO document on toxigenic Clostridia was just released: https://doi.org/10.4060/cd9619en. FRI's Kristin Schill and Kathy Glass were on the FAO committee that wrote the document.

Join us for the 2026 Summer Undergraduate Research Program Scholars’ Final Presentations on Friday, July 31, at 10 a.m. You can join in-person in Microbial Sciences Room 6201 (1550 Linden Drive, Madison, WI), or register to attend online via Zoom: https://uwmadison.zoom.us/meeting/register/KFKv09lRRpGHcmd91ZysbA

View the presentation schedule: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1mBu0C1QTbQ3VnX_HVbxuCqcB9b5JYsJuabnvFrZ9dc0/edit?usp=sharing

**If attending in person, Microbial Sciences currently requires card access to access rooms above the 2nd floor, including 6201 on the 6th floor. If you need access to attend in person, please contact Adam at 608-263-7062.**

Food Safety Magazine featured an article about a recent publication from Dennis Seman and FRI executive committee member Andy Milkowski that provided data suggesting that AppendixB requirements for thermal meat processors could be relaxed without affecting product safety.

Product Testing Suggests USDA-FSIS Regulations for C. perfringens in Meat May Be ‘Overly Conservative’ Real-world data from meat processors show Clostridium perfringens is rarely detected in fully cooked meat and poultry products and remains uncommon even when deviations from USDA-FSIS Appendix B parameters are reported, challenging assumptions underlying regulatory limits for growth during stabiliza...

Former UW–Madison graduate student Mehmet Dogan and FRI Executive Committee members Andrew Milkowski and Jeff Sindelar published a report investigating the effects of weak organic acid salts (lactate, diacetate, and/or propionate) on spoilage-associated lactic acid bacteria (LAB) in cured, RTE turkey breast meat: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0362028X26001316

Read the July issue of FRI eNews for the latest foodsafety news! https://app.explore.wisc.edu/e/es?s=1427524768&e=2490742&elqTrackId=6bf940c8fcbe4d2896cdc087ece57e37&elq=0b1eeb8b19834fd1abb3229e9845c7f5&elqaid=85087&elqat=1&elqak=8AF5017F5A19B1FF8E7852A119A8118419682233E71F2EDBCFC7D8FB79341D4935B8