Episodes

  • Ep. 184. Hottest Topics of 2024: Outbreaks, Food Chemicals, FDA Changes, and More

    Ep. 184. Hottest Topics of 2024: Outbreaks, Food Chemicals, FDA Changes, and More
    Dec 24 2024
    In this episode of Food Safety Matters, we discuss the top food safety stories of 2024 and their implications. We cover: The Boar's Head Listeria Outbreak [6:24] USDA Announces Immediate Changes to Listeria Rule, Inspections for RTE Food FacilitiesFollowing Deadly Listeria Outbreak, USDA Launches Internal Investigation Into How it Handled Boar’s Head’s Unsanitary Production FacilityCongress Members Question USDA About Failure to Prevent Fatal Boar’s Head Listeria OutbreakBoar’s Head to Face Criminal Investigation Over Listeria Outbreak as Tenth Death is Reported Following Outbreak, Boar’s Head Forms Food Safety Council of Top Experts, Closes Facility, Discontinues LiverwurstInspection Reports Show Mold, Insects, Meat Residues, and More at Boar’s Head Facility Responsible for Listeria OutbreakBoar’s Head RTE Deli Meats Recalled After Two Listeriosis DeathsIt's Time to Reformulate Deli Meats to Reduce the Risk of Listeria monocytogenes—Feature story for Food Safety Magazine December ‘24/January ’25, by Kathleen Glass, Ph.D., Wendy Bedale, Ph.D., and Daniel Unruh, Ph.D. The McDonald's/Taylor Farms E. coli Outbreak [18:53] FDA Closes Investigation of McDonald’s E. Coli Outbreak Without Tests Confirming Onions as SourceMcDonald’s E. coli Outbreak Grows to 104 Illnesses in 14 States; Testing Has Not Yet Found Outbreak StrainFDA Unable to Implicate Grower in E. coli Outbreak Linked to Taylor Farms Onions Served at McDonald'sCDC Names Taylor Farms Onions as Cause of McDonald’s E. coli Outbreak; Patient Count Rises to 90Beef Ruled Out as Source of McDonald’s E. coli Outbreak, Quarter Pounders Return to RestaurantsMajor Chains Pull Onions Due to E. coli Concerns After Taylor Farms Confirmed as McDonald’s Supplier At Least One Death Caused by E. coli Outbreak Linked to McDonald’s Quarter Pounders Food Safety Five Ep. 1: Fatal E. coli Outbreak Linked to Onions on McDonald’s Quarter Pounders—Food Safety Five Newsreel video Grimmway Farms E. coli Outbreak [32:31] Grimmway Farms Carrot E. coli Outbreak Closed; No Match Found in Environmental SamplesCanada Recalls Carrots Implicated in Fatal E. coli Outbreak Affecting U.S.Death Reported in E. coli Outbreak Linked to Nationally Distributed Organic Carrots The Yu Shang Foods Listeria Outbreak [33:48] Another Infant Death Linked to Yu Shang Listeria Outbreak Yu Shang Brand RTE Meats Cause Two-Year-Long Listeria Outbreak Resulting in Death of an Infant Food Safety Technology Developments [36:37] How Rapid Development of Technology Has Revolutionized Food Safety—Food Safety Magazine on-demand webinarHow is the Revolution in Technology Changing Food Safety?—“Food Safety Insights” column for Food Safety Magazine June/July ’24, by Bob FergusonHow is the Revolution in Technology Changing Food Safety?—Part 2—“Food Safety Insights” column for Food Safety Magazine August/September ’24, by Bob FergusonHow is the Revolution in Technology Changing Food Safety?—Part 3—“Food Safety Insights” column for Food Safety Magazine December ‘24/January ’25, by Bob Ferguson Listeria, Salmonella Represent 40 Percent of FDA Food and Beverage Recalls in Last 20 Years FDA Human Foods Program Restructuring [42:39] FDA Budget Constraints Lead to International Information-Sharing for Chemical Safety ReviewsFDA Human Foods Program Reveals Work Plans for 2025FDA Introduces Streamlined Complaint Process on First Day of New Human Foods ProgramFDA Outlines its Developing Systematic Post-Market Review Process for Chemicals in FoodFDA Reorganization Officially Approved, Will be Implemented by October 1Food Safety Five Ep. 2: How Budget Constraints May Influence FDA Food Chemical Safety Work—Food Safety Five Newsreel video Highly Pathogenic Avian Flu (HPAI) H5N1 and Dairy Foods [50:30] California Declares State of Emergency Over HPAI H5N1 Outbreak in Dairy CowsUSDA Begins Five-Part National Milk Testing Strategy for HPAI H5N1As Outbreak Rages On, USDA to Begin Field Trials for HPAI H5N1 Vaccine in CattleUSDA-FSIS to Begin Routine Monitoring for HPAI in Dairy Cows Under National Residue ProgramFDA Publishes Dairy Food Safety Research Agenda for HPAI H5N1More Canadian Milk Testing, New Pasteurization Study Shows HPAI is Not Food Safety RiskUSDA Finds HPAI in Muscle of Sick Dairy Cow; Study Shows Infectious Potential of Contaminated Raw Milk USDA Experiments Show Cooking Beef Patties to “Well Done” Kills HPAI VirusUSDA Testing Retail Ground Beef for HPAI H5N1; Maintains That U.S. Meat Supply is SafeFDA Testing Finds HPAI in Retail Milk Samples; Research Required to Determine Infectivity, Food Safety RiskUSDA Now Requires HPAI Testing for Dairy Cattle, Mandatory Reporting USDA's Salmonella Framework for Raw Poultry Products [57:35] USDA-FSIS to Hold Two Public Meetings on Salmonella Framework for Raw Poultry in DecemberUSDA-FSIS Extends Comment Period for Proposed Salmonella Regulatory FrameworkStudy Supports USDA’s ...
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    1 hr and 41 mins
  • MilliporeSigma: The Importance of E. coli and STEC Testing to Food Safety

    MilliporeSigma: The Importance of E. coli and STEC Testing to Food Safety
    Dec 19 2024

    Justyce Jedlicka serves as the Food and Beverage Regulatory Liaison in North America for MilliporeSigma, where she is responsible for engaging with influencers in the food and beverage industry to align initiatives with regulatory compliance and promote best practices for food safety and quality testing methods. Justyce has been serving the food and beverage industry since 2013, and received both a B.S. degree in Chemistry and an M.B.A. degree from the University of Missouri in St. Louis. She currently serves as the Food Sciences Section Chair and Executive Board Member of the American Council of Independent Labs, and is a member of the International Association for Food Protection (IAFP), the International Society of Beverage Technologists (ISBT), and AOAC International.

    Sally Powell Price is MilliporeSigma's Regulatory and Public Health Expert for Food and Beverage Safety Testing in North America. Previously, she served as Director of Lab Operations at a biotech startup in Boston and was the Food Lab Supervisor at the New York City Department of Health Public Health Laboratory. She holds a B.S. degree in Biology from Hamilton College, an M.S. degree in Microbiology and Immunology from James Cook University in Australia, and did continuing coursework in public health and foodborne disease at Harvard TH Chan School of Public Health. She is a member of the Association of Food and Drug Officials (AFDO), the Association of Public Health Laboratories (APHL), the International Association for Food Protection (IAFP), and AOAC International.

    In this episode of Food Safety Matters, we speak with Justyce and Sally [2:41] about:

    • Reasons why Escherichia coli and Shiga toxin-producing E. coli (STEC) are pathogens of particular concern for the food industry
    • Existing food safety regulations to protect consumers from infections caused by E. coli
    • MilliporeSigma solutions for STEC testing
    • The future of STEC testing for food safety
    • Resources that listeners can access to learn more about how the food supply is protected from E. coli contamination.

    Resources

    E. coli Detection for Food Safety

    Sponsored by:

    MilliporeSigma

    We Want to Hear from You!

    Please send us your questions and suggestions to podcast@food-safety.com
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    34 mins
  • Ep. 183. Thomas Gremillion: Advocating for Strong Federal Food Safety Regulation

    Ep. 183. Thomas Gremillion: Advocating for Strong Federal Food Safety Regulation
    Dec 10 2024

    Thomas Gremillion, J.D., M.A. is the Director of Food Policy at the Consumer Federation of America (CFA). He oversees research, analysis, advocacy, and media outreach for the group's food policy activities, and monitors food safety activities at the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), and in Congress, where he advocates for strong food safety protections for consumers. He also coordinates the Safe Food Coalition, a group of consumer, trade union, and foodborne illness victim organizations dedicated to reducing foodborne illness by improving government food inspection programs.

    Prior to joining CFA in 2015, Gremillion practiced environmental law at Georgetown University Law Center's Institute for Public Representation. He also served as an associate attorney at the Southern Environmental Law Center in Chapel Hill, North Carolina. A graduate of Harvard Law School, Gremillion is a member of the D.C. and North Carolina bars. He also holds an M.A. degree in International Relations from Andina Simón Bolívar University in Ecuador.

    In this episode of Food Safety Matters, we speak with Thomas [22:27] about:

    • Initiatives and advocacy work by CFA and its Safe Food Coalition to improve national food safety and protect consumers from foodborne illness
    • The pros and cons of the structure of FDA’s reorganized Human Foods Program
    • Concerns about efforts to delay or weaken FDA's Food Traceability Final Rule and industry's ability to comply by the January 2026 deadline
    • Questions raised about federal oversight of food inspections following the high-profile Listeria outbreak linked to Boar’s Head deli meats
    • The need for standardized pathogen testing protocols for facilities that process raw and ready-to-eat (RTE) foods
    • CFA's perspectives on USDA's proposed framework for reducing Salmonella in poultry products
    • The implications of the Supreme Court's recent overturning of the 1984 Chevron ruling for the food industry, and regulatory agencies' ability to protect public health.

    News and Resources

    News

    Congress Members Urge FDA to Ban Red Dye 3 in Food [3:10]
    Policies on Antibiotics in Meat: Many Top Restaurants Receive Failing Grades, Only One Gets A+ [6:23]
    Poor Hygienic Design, Difficulty Communicating Risks are Barriers to Low-Moisture Food Safety, Study Shows [15:20]
    EU Expands Responsibility for Listeria Criteria in RTE Foods to Additional Food Business Operators [19:05]

    Resources

    “New Technology Applications in the Fight Against Foodborne AMR”—Editor’s Note, Food Safety Magazine December ‘24/January ‘25
    Facilities Focus: Food Safety Factors to Consider in Hygienic Design and Infrastructure (Webinar On-Demand)

    We Want to Hear from You!
    Please send us your questions and suggestions to podcast@food-safety.com
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    56 mins
  • Ep. 182. Paul Shapiro: Making the Case for Cell-Based Meats and Plant-Based Proteins

    Ep. 182. Paul Shapiro: Making the Case for Cell-Based Meats and Plant-Based Proteins
    Nov 26 2024
    Paul Shapiro is the author of the bestselling book, Clean Meat: How Growing Meat Without Animals Will Revolutionize Dinner and the World. He is also CEO of The Better Meat Co., a company that uses fermentation to turn microbes into alternative meat. Paul is a five-time TEDx speaker, the host of the Business for Good Podcast, and a long-time leader in food sustainability. As an authority on food and agriculture sustainability, Paul has been interviewed by numeorous news outlets—ranging from CNN to StarTalk Radio with Neil deGrasse Tyson. He has also published hundreds of articles in publications like the Washington Post, Scientific American, FORTUNE, and academic journals. In 2023, Paul was named as a Most Admired CEO by the Sacramento Business Journal. In this episode of Food Safety Matters, we speak with Paul [23:58] about: The case for novel alternative proteins—including plant-based meats, cell-cultured meats, and mycoproteins—as sustainable solutions to meeting increasing global protein demand while reducing the environmental impact of traditional animal agricultureThe Better Meat Co.’s focus on mycoproteins and the advantages they offer in terms of scalability and textureHow the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) oversees cell-based meat products, and the current regulatory status of cell-cultured proteins in the U.S.The microbial food safety advantages of cell-cultured meat over traditional meat productsState-level legislative attempts to restrict the sale of cell-based meat, driven by efforts to protect the traditional meat industry; and whether the alternative protein and traditional protein industries can coexistThe likelihood of American consumers becoming more interested in cell-based meats and how their apprehensions might be addressedNutritional benefits of plant-based meat alternatives not offered by traditional meat products. News and Resources McDonald’s and Taylor Farms E. coli Outbreak [4:05] McDonald's E. coli Outbreak Grows to 104 Illnesses in 14 States; Testing Has Not Yet Found Outbreak StrainFDA Unable to Implicate Grower in E. coli Outbreak Linked to Taylor Farms Onions Served at McDonald's EPA Approves First Antimicrobial Treatment of Foodborne Pathogens in Preharvest Agricultural Water [11:11] Study Shows Impact of WGS on Foodborne Illness Outbreak Detection in Canada [13:28] FDA Publishes Supplement to 2022 Food Code [20:29] USDA’s Regulatory Framework for Salmonella in Raw Poultry [21:29] USDA-FSIS to Hold Two Public Meetings on Salmonella Framework for Raw Poultry in DecemberEsteban and Eskin: On the Frontlines of the Food Safety Fight Against Salmonella in Poultry We Want to Hear from You! Please send us your questions and suggestions to podcast@food-safety.com
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    51 mins
  • Ep. 181. Johanna Velez: Dedicated to a Culture of Consistent Improvement

    Ep. 181. Johanna Velez: Dedicated to a Culture of Consistent Improvement
    Nov 12 2024
    Johanna Velez is Vice President of Quality Assurance for Monin Americas, having joined the brand in 2002. With more than 27 years in the food industry, Johanna has a wealth of experience in leading, directing, and guiding the company’s food safety and quality programs at all Monin North America locations. She successfully led Monin to achieve Safe Quality Foods (SQF) and Organic certifications for both the Clearwater, Florida and Sparks, Nevada facilities, resulting in an "Excellent" rating for the brand’s food safety practices. Prior to Monin, Johanna spent five years at Wild Flavors (now Archer-Daniels-Midland Company) in Cincinnati, Ohio. She is a member of the Institute of Food Technologists (IFT), including the Florida IFT Division, as well as the Bay Area Manufacturers Association (BAMA). Johanna graduated from Louisiana State University and later attended Michigan State University to obtain her certification in Food Law and Regulations. In this episode of Food Safety Matters, we speak with Johanna [30:04] about: How her industry and academic experiences inform her work at Monin Americas, and important food safety and quality considerations of doing business as a global supplierEmbracing technology and digitization to modernize quality control processes, such as using QR codes to track equipment maintenance historyImplementing quarterly proficiency testing to ensure that employees' skills and knowledge stay up-to-dateUtilizing a "blameless problem-solving" approach to address non-conformances, and bringing cross-functional teams together to identify root causes of issues and implement improvementsHow Monin Americas achieved an “Excellent” rating for its food safety practices, and the company’s processes for upholding its SQF and Organic certificationsReinforcing a culture of continuous improvement and collaboration at Monin Americas, where food safety is a core value shared by all employeesOnboarding suppliers as "partners" and working closely with them to reinforce robust food safety standards and ensure implementation of best practices. News and Resources News McDonald’s E. coli Outbreak [3:29] CDC Names Taylor Farms Onions as Cause of McDonald’s E. coli Outbreak; Patient Count Rises to 90Beef Ruled Out as Source of McDonald's E. coli Outbreak, Quarter Pounders Return to RestaurantsMajor Chains Pull Onions Due to E. coli Concerns After Taylor Farms Confirmed as McDonald's SupplierAt Least One Death Caused by E. coli Outbreak Linked to McDonald's Quarter Pounders FDA Human Foods Program Reveals Work Plans for 2025 [7:13] Listeria, Salmonella Represent 40 Percent of FDA Food and Beverage Recalls in Last 20 Years [17:01] Following Salmonella Outbreaks Linked to Indiana Cantaloupe, FDA and Purdue University Launch Environmental Study [19:10] Resources Food Safety Insights: “How is the Revolution in Technology Changing Food Safety?—Part 3” [20:01] Food Safety Five Newsreel Food Safety Magazine’s YouTube Channel We Want to Hear from You! Please send us your questions and suggestions to podcast@food-safety.com
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    56 mins
  • Ep. 180. Dr. Carolyn Ross: Where Sensory Science Meets Food Safety and Quality

    Ep. 180. Dr. Carolyn Ross: Where Sensory Science Meets Food Safety and Quality
    Oct 22 2024

    Carolyn Ross, Ph.D., M.Sc. is a Professor in the School of Food Science at Washington State University (WSU), Affiliate Professor in the WSU School of Medicine, and Director of the WSU Sensory Science Center. Since starting at WSU in 2004, Dr. Ross has established her lab and the WSU Sensory Science Center as a hub for graduate student training in the areas of sensory science and analytical chemistry. Specifically, the overall objectives of Dr. Ross's research and graduate education program are to understand the theoretical basis underpinning the sensory perception of foods and wines and correlate these attributes with quantifiable characteristics. Dr. Ross has also expanded her research to explore food texture perception in children. She has thrice been awarded the Institute of Food Technologists' (IFT's) Tanner Award for most‐cited article in the Journal of Food Science (in the Sensory and Food Quality section). Dr. Ross was also awarded the WSU Faculty Excellence Award for Instruction and is a Fulbright-Australia Scholar at Deakin University in Melbourne. She holds a Ph.D. in Food Science/Environmental Toxicology from Michigan State University and an M.Sc. degree in Food Science from the University of Guelph.

    In this episode of Food Safety Matters, we speak with Dr. Ross [24:22] about:

    • Food safety and quality research underway at WSU's Sensory Science Center
    • What e-tongue technology is, how it can be used for food safety and quality assessments, and the Sensory Science Center's work in this area
    • The potential benefits of e-tongue technology to the food and beverage industry, and current commercial applications
    • Other technologies that leverage sensory experience and show promise for food safety and quality assurance in different foods
    • How Dr. Ross' work as a professor prepares students for food safety and quality assurance careers
    • Dr. Ross' previous research regarding food texture perception in children with developmental delays, and its implications for the food and beverage industry at large.

    News and Resources

    FDA Outlines its Developing Systematic Post-Market Review Process for Chemicals in Food [2:44]
    California Passes First-of-its-Kind Legislation Standardizing 'Best By' Dates on Food; Bans 'Sell By' [8:50]
    Study: PCHF Compliance Costs Small and Midsized Food Businesses $22,000 in First Year Alone [14:07]
    EFSA Updates Guidance for Novel Food Applications [19:34]
    Scientists Develop Antibody With Detection, Treatment Potential for Foodborne Campylobacter [21:02]

    We Want to Hear from You!
    Please send us your questions and suggestions to podcast@food-safety.com
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    44 mins
  • Dr. Lone Jespersen: Methods for Communicating Insights to Assess Food Safety Culture

    Dr. Lone Jespersen: Methods for Communicating Insights to Assess Food Safety Culture
    Oct 15 2024

    Lone Jespersen, Ph.D. is a published author, speaker, and the Principal and Founder of Cultivate SA, a Swiss-based organization dedicated to eradicating foodborne illness, one culture at a time. Dr. Jespersen has worked to strengthen food safety through organizational culture improvements for 20 years, since starting at Maple Leaf Foods in 2004. She chaired the Global Food Safety Initiative (GFSI) technical working group "A Culture of Food Safety," chaired the International Association of Food Protection (IAFP) professional development group "Food Safety Culture," and was the technical author on the BSI PAS320 Practical Guide to Food Safety Culture. Dr. Jespersen holds a Ph.D. in Culture Enabled Food Safety from the University of Guelph in Canada and a master's degree in Mechanical Engineering from Syd Dansk University in Denmark. She is also a visiting Professor at the University of Central Lancashire in the UK. Dr. Jespersen serves as Chair of the IFPTI Board and as Director on the STOP Foodborne Illness Board. She is also a member of the Editorial Advisory Board of Food Safety Magazine and a member of the Educational Advisory Board of the Food Safety Summit.

    In this episode of Food Safety Matters, we speak with Dr. Jespersen [3:44] about:

    • The definition of food safety culture, what it looks like, and indicators of food safety culture maturity within an organization
    • The crucial role of assessment in promoting continuous improvement of food safety culture
    • Different food safety culture assessment methods, their positives and negatives, and how to select the most appropriate method
    • Best practices for communicating insights gained from food safety culture assessments to stakeholders
    • How to adapt communication about assessment insights to different stakeholder groups
    • Strategies for translating assessment insights into actions that effect organizational change and promote continuous improvement
    • Learnings about food safety culture assessment and continuous improvement that can be applied within your organization today.

    Resources

    Article—Assessing Food Safety Culture: Selecting Methods and Communicating Insights, by Lone Jespersen, Ph.D., Shingai Nyarugwe, Ph.D., and Bob Lijana, M.Sc., for Food Safety Magazine October/November 2024

    Webinar—Assessing Food Safety Culture: Selecting Methods and Communicating Insights

    Sponsored by:

    Meritech

    Access Meritech’s Food Safety Toolbox!

    We Want to Hear from You!
    Please send us your questions and suggestions to podcast@food-safety.com
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    38 mins
  • Ep. 179. Dr. Takashi Nakamura: Ensuring Fresh Produce Safety From Field to Fork

    Ep. 179. Dr. Takashi Nakamura: Ensuring Fresh Produce Safety From Field to Fork
    Oct 8 2024

    Takashi Nakamura, Ph.D. has served as Vice President of Food Safety for Fresh Del Monte since 2019. Previously, he worked in various senior research and development roles at Bumble Bee Foods and Bacardi, was the Vice President of Global Product Formulation and Worldwide Research and Development/Scientific Affairs at Herbalife, and was the Category Technical Leader for Portable Wholesome Snacking and Frozen Breakfast at Kellogg's. Dr. Nakamura serves on the Center for Produce Safety (CPS) Technical Committee and the Canadian Produce Marketing Association (CPMA) Food Safety Committee, and has represented Fresh Del Monte with the International Fresh Produce Association (IFPA). He is an active member of the International Association for Food Protection (IAFP). He received a Ph.D. in Engineering from Purdue University and an M.B.A. degree from the University of North Florida.

    In this episode of Food Safety Matters, we speak with Dr. Nakamura [30:21] about:

    • How Fresh Del Monte applies the insights gained from continuously monitoring food safety data and environmental monitoring program (EMP) results, and technologies that help execute data-informed food safety practices
    • Ahead of the January 2026 compliance date for FDA’s Food Traceability Final Rule, Fresh Del Monte’s proactive journey to digitize its product traceability systems, the technology the company is using to achieve this goal, and the benefits of implementing a digital traceability system
    • Fresh Del Monte’s robust approval process and strict standards for vendors, which consistently enables 100 percent farm-to-fork traceability
    • Considering the complexity of farming operations, how Fresh Del Monte is ensuring compliance with the requirements of FDA’s Agricultural Water Rule among its growers
    • Fresh Del Monte’s use of internal, operational surveys that help guide the company’s training programs and culture-strengthening initiatives
    • In Dr. Nakamura’s opinion, two distinct food safety challenges of the fresh produce sector that deserve to be better understood.

    News and Resources

    FDA Introduces Streamlined Complaint Process on First Day of New Human Foods Program [1:07]
    'Safe School Meals Act' Addresses Pesticides, PFAS, Food Dyes, and More in School Lunches [3:01]
    Scientists Create Public Database of Hundreds of Food Packaging Chemicals Found in Humans [16:18]
    Wastewater Monitoring Can Aid Foodborne Illness Surveillance, Study Shows [21:01]
    Canada Bans BVO as a Food Additive [27:00]
    Massachusetts is First State to Test All Dairy Herds for HPAI H5N1; No Trace of Virus Detected [27:28]

    Sponsored by:

    Michigan State University Online Food Safety Program

    We Want to Hear from You!
    Please send us your questions and suggestions to podcast@food-safety.com
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    1 hr and 19 mins