Food safety is increasingly highlighted as a priority for the food industry, so it won’t ease manufacturers’ concerns to learn a team of researchers at the University of Georgia (UGA) found pathogens like Salmonella can survive for at least six months in cookies and crackers. Yikes! Researchers say the recent study was prompted by an increased number of outbreaks of foodborne diseases linked to low-water-activity (dry) foods.
“There have been an increased number of outbreaks of diseases associated with consumption of contaminated dry foods. We wouldn’t expect Salmonella to grow in foods that have a very dry environment,” says Larry Beuchat, UGA professor emeritus and leader of the study.