Episodes

  • Ep. 174. Nuno Soares: Three-and-a-Half Steps for Selling Food Safety

    Ep. 174. Nuno Soares: Three-and-a-Half Steps for Selling Food Safety
    Jul 23 2024
    Nuno F. Soares, Ph.D., is an author, consultant, and trainer in food safety with more than 21 years of experience in the food industry as a food safety/quality (FSQ) expert and a plant manager. He is the founder of "I'm a SLO—Saving Lives Officer" initiative and the author of several books and articles on food safety, namely FSSC 22000 and ISO 22000 Blueprint and I'm a SLO—The Mindset and Framework to Develop a Positive Food Safety Culture. He works exclusively to help food safety professionals achieve a more fulfilled career by improving their knowledge, competencies, and mindset. In this episode of Food Safety Matters, we speak with Nuno [38:14] about: The influence of the late Dr. Bill Sperber, a pioneering food safety scientist, on Nuno’s career and the industry at largeNuno’s new book, How to Sell Food Safety: 3-1/2 Steps to Increase Your Chances of Being Heard, which describes a three-and-a-half-step action plan to “sell” top management and other teams within a company on food safety objectives Examples of conflicts between food safety professionals and other teams within an organization, and the importance of having the right mindset when presented with these challengesA four-step evolution that companies will experience in their food safety culture maturity journey, and what each stage might look likeHow a food safety professional can approach the task of persuading top management to elevate the status of food safety throughout the company, and the need to dually wield empathy and authority when doing soExamples of how food safety professionals can “sell” food safety to top management by demonstrating return on investment (ROI), and by framing the issue in a way that will evoke emotions and set aspirationsActions food safety professionals can take after presenting top management with a food safety plan or goal and being told “no.” News and Resources News Latest CDC Data Suggests Stalled Progress Toward Foodborne Illness Incidence Reduction Goals [10:20] Frozen Food Industry Group Strives to Reduce Storage Temperature Standards by 3 °C [18:20] Chemicals from Tires and Roads Detected in Leafy Greens [24:21] BVO No Longer Authorized for Food Use by FDA [28:29] Bob’s Food Safety Magazine August/September ’24 Food Safety Insights Column“How is the Revolution in Technology Changing Food Safety?” [31:19] Interview Links Nuno F. Soares, Ph.D. How to Sell Food Safety: 3-1/2 Steps to Increase Your Chances of Being Heard Other ResourcesWebinar: How Rapid Development of Technology Has Revolutionized Food Safety 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 18 mins
  • Ep. 173. 100 Years of the Pasteurized Milk Ordinance—And a Look Ahead at Dairy Food Safety

    Ep. 173. 100 Years of the Pasteurized Milk Ordinance—And a Look Ahead at Dairy Food Safety
    Jul 9 2024
    Beth Panko Briczinski, Ph.D. is the Senior Science Advisor for Milk Safety in the Office of Food Safety at the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). In this capacity, she advises FDA senior leadership on policies and programs involving scientific matters affecting the safety of milk. Prior to working at FDA, Dr. Briczinski was a Vice President with the National Milk Producers Federation, where she worked with state and federal agencies on regulatory issues in the areas of food safety and nutrition. Dr. Briczinski holds B.S. and M.S. degrees in Food Science, as well as a Ph.D. in Food Science, all from Pennsylvania State University. Casey McCue is the Conference Chair for the National Conference on Interstate Milk Shipments (NCIMS) and the Director of the Division of Milk Control and Dairy Services for the New York State Department of Agriculture and Markets, a position he has held since 2000. Casey has served in many positions since starting as a Dairy Products Specialist in Jefferson and Lewis counties. He grew up deeply involved in his grandparents' dairy farm near Lowville, and after graduating from SUNY Canton with a degree in Milk and Food Quality Control, he began his career in industry on both the producer and processor sides. Casey was also the 2012 recipient of the National Association of State Departments of Agriculture's Administration Award for his work on behalf of New York's rapidly growing dairy industry. Megin Nichols, D.V.M. serves as the Deputy Division Director for the Division of Foodborne, Waterborne, and Environmental Diseases at the CDC's National Center for Emerging and Zoonotic Infectious Diseases. Prior to this role, she lead the team at CDC responsible for investigating multistate outbreaks of Salmonella and Escherichia coli resulting from exposure to animals, pet products, and raw milk. Prior to joining CDC, Dr. Nichols worked in her home state at the New Mexico Department of Health for five years. She holds a B.S. degree in Animal Science from New Mexico State University, a D.V.M. from Colorado State University, and an M.P.H. degree in Food Safety and Biosecurity from the University of Minnesota. She is board certified in veterinary preventive medicine, and her areas of interest include zoonotic disease, food safety, and pediatric health. In this episode of Food Safety Matters, we speak with Dr. Briczinski, Mr. McCue, and Dr. Nichols [29:50] about: What the Pasteurized Milk Ordinance (PMO) requires of milk and dairy producers, how it differs from Grade “A” milk standards, and the public health impact of PMO since its adoption 100 years agoThe accomplishments of NCIMS since the first conference was held in 1950, and revisions to the PMO that have come out of recent NCIMS conferencesThe microbial risks of, and foodborne illnesses caused by, raw milk and dairy products, which have been increasing in popularity among consumersThe possibility of combining audits for producers that make both Grade "A" and non-Grade "A" productsWays in which public health agencies and food safety professionals can combat misinformation about “natural” foods like raw milk and dairy being healthier than pasteurized productsFDA’s future plans to expand upon the PMO and milk and dairy product safety. News and Resources FDA Publishes Dairy Food Safety Research Agenda for HPAI H5N1Federal Report Gives FDA Nine Recommendations to Improve Infant Formula OversightEU to Develop New Traceability Requirements to Tackle Honey Adulteration, Revises Origin Labeling Rules Second Bill Introduced to Weaken FSMA 204; Safe Food Coalition Voices Opposition The End of Chevron Doctrine Does Not End Food Safety Regulation, But it May Make It More Difficult Upcoming Webinar—How Rapid Development of Technology has Revolutionized Food Safety 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 14 mins
  • Elanco: The Role of Diagnostics in Determining Food Safety Interventions

    Elanco: The Role of Diagnostics in Determining Food Safety Interventions
    Jun 28 2024

    Brandon Carter, D.V.M. is a Food Safety Technical Advisor for Elanco Animal Health. Dr. Carter received his B.S. degree in Animal Science and his D.V.M. from Mississippi State University. He also holds an M.S. degree in Veterinary Epidemiology from West Texas A&M University. His areas of expertise are disease prevention and control for poultry, with specialized expertise in epidemiology and data analysis.

    In this episode of Food Safety Matters, we speak with Dr. Carter [1:20] about:

    • The significance of pre-harvest diagnostics in food safety risk management
    • Common types of diagnostics used in the assessment of pre-harvest food safety risks
    • The role of data analysis in the interpretation of diagnostic results for food safety decision-making
    • Regulatory frameworks that influence the use of diagnostics in food safety management
    • How diagnostic findings are integrated into food safety intervention strategies
    • Limitations of diagnostics for food safety decision-making
    • Challenges in implementing diagnostic techniques for food safety interventions.

    Resources
    Elanco Poultry Food Safety

    Sponsored by:
    Elanco

    We Want to Hear from You!
    Please send us your questions and suggestions to podcast@food-safety.com
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    17 mins
  • Ep. 172. DeWaal and Pluke: Improving Food Safety in Traditional Markets

    Ep. 172. DeWaal and Pluke: Improving Food Safety in Traditional Markets
    Jun 25 2024
    Caroline Smith DeWaal, J.D. is Senior Manager at the Global Alliance for Improved Nutrition (GAIN). She also serves as Deputy Chief of Party of EatSafe—Evidence and Action Towards Safe, Nutritious Food—which is a U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID)-funded, five-year program running through June 2024. EatSafe aims to enable lasting improvements in the safety of nutritious foods in traditional markets by focusing on behavior change. Prior to joining GAIN, Caroline worked as an International Food Safety Policy Manager for the U.S. Food and Drug Administration's Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition (FDA’s CFSAN). She holds a bachelor's degree in Political Science from the University of Vermont and a J.D. from Antioch School of Law. Richard Pluke, Ph.D. is the Food Safety Lead and Chief of Party for GAIN's EatSafe and an international rural development professional specializing in agricultural enterprises and value chains, with over 15 years of applied development experience in South America, Asia, and Africa. Prior to GAIN, Dr. Pluke worked at Bayer Crop Science, and he also spent 15 years at FINTRAC Inc., where he served as Deputy Chief of Party on several USAID programs in Tanzania. He received his Ph.D. in Entomology and Farming Systems from the University of Florida at Gainesville. In this episode of Food Safety Matters, we speak with Ms. DeWaal and Dr. Pluke [36:06] about: How GAIN and EatSafe are working to improve food safety in traditional markets, as well as the mission of promoting healthier diets and sustainable food systems among vulnerable communitiesWhy food contamination and foodborne illness are not being addressed by vendors in traditional food markets or government regulatorsA three-legged approach that could be useful in promoting and ensuring food safety in traditional marketsHow the EatSafe initiative employs research-informed training and communication initiatives to drive positive behavioral change in market actors and to create consumer demand for safe food in traditional marketsSpecific, real-life examples of EatSafe’s work and outcomes in Ethiopia and NigeriaGAIN’s future plans for food safety education and aid after the five-year EatSafe initiative concludes. News and Resources FDA Study Shows STEC Can Spread Through Air to Contaminate Leafy Greens Crops [4:29]Health Effects of Contaminants in Seafood Unclear, But Most People Aren't Eating Enough Fish Anyway [12:16] Study Shows Risk of Gluten Migration into Food from Biodegradable Plates, Straws [23:26]African Union Developing First-Ever Food Safety Guidelines for Continent's Informal Foods Market [30:29] Global Alliance for Improved Nutrition (GAIN) GAIN EatSafe GAIN Video: "Food Safety: The Biggest Development Challenge You've Never Heard Of" EatSafe interventions in Nigeria EatSafe: Nigeria food safety training brief EatSafe: Brand intervention brief International Livestock Research Institute (ILRI): "New directions for tackling food safety risks in the informal sector of developing countries" Food Safety Matters Podcast Ep. 104. Bonnie McClafferty: Food Safety Needs to Be a Business Model 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
  • Ep. 171. Dr. Kathleen Glass: An Award-Winning Career in Food Safety

    Ep. 171. Dr. Kathleen Glass: An Award-Winning Career in Food Safety
    Jun 11 2024
    Kathleen (Kathy) Glass, Ph.D. joined the Food Research Institute (FRI) at the University of Wisconsin–Madison as a food safety researcher in 1985, where she currently serves as Associate Director. Her primary duties are to assist the food industry in assessing and developing formulation-safe foods. In addition, she trains and oversees undergraduate and graduate student independent study research, and is a regular instructor at workshops on food microbiology, preventive controls, Listeria control methods, processed meat and processed cheese safety, and dairy Hazards Analysis and Critical Control Points (HACCP). Dr. Glass's research interests include the safety of low-acid refrigerated foods, ready-to-eat (RTE) meats, processed cheese, and dairy foods, focusing on the control of various bacterial pathogens. She earned her Ph.D. in Food Microbiology and Safety at the University of Wisconsin–Madison. She is a Past President of the International Association for Food Protection (IAFP) and its Wisconsin affiliate. In addition to receiving the 2024 Distinguished Service Award from Food Safety Magazine, Dr. Glass is a recipient of the 2023 IAFP Honorary Life Member Award, the 2020 University of Wisconsin–Madison Academic Staff Award for Excellence, the 2019 Wisconsin Meat Industry Hall of Fame, the 2017 National Cheese Institute (NCI) Laureate Award, and the 2011 IAFP Fellow Award. In addition, she served four terms on the National Advisory Committee for the Microbiological Criteria of Foods (NACMCF), including two terms as Co-Chair; as an academic advisor for the Food Microbiology Committee of the Institute for the Advancement of Food and Nutrition Sciences (IAFNS); and is an active member of several professional associations and advisory committees. In this episode of Food Safety Matters, we speak with Dr. Glass [28:04] about: What led to her career in food safety, and how her research interests have evolved over the years in response to outbreaks, regulatory changes, and consumer demandsDr. Glass’s work in challenge studies for food products and their impacts, such as evaluating new antimicrobial ingredientsThe critical importance of dairy pasteurization, especially in light of the ongoing Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI) H5N1 outbreak, and the need to better understand the risk of contracting HPAI H5N1 from raw dairyDr. Glass’s past experiences as Chair of NACMCF’s Subcommittee on Salmonella in poultry and as Co-Chair of NACMF’s Subcommittee on Cronobacter in Powdered Infant Formula, and insights about the progression of these chargesIn her work as a professor, how Dr. Glass guides her students to become effective food safety scientists and leadersHighlights of Dr. Glass’s career, and her hope that her work has influenced other food safety professionals to center the betterment of public health in their own roles. News and Resources Legislation Would Delay FSMA 204 Compliance Date, Ease Retailer Recordkeeping Requirements [3:18] USDA Finds HPAI in Muscle of Sick Dairy Cow; Study Shows Infectious Potential of Contaminated Raw Milk [11:57] Testing of Canadian Milk at Retail Shows No Presence of Viral HPAI [12:46] USDA Experiments Show Cooking Beef Patties to "Well Done" Kills HPAI Virus Baby Food Safety Act Would Give FDA Authority to Limit Toxic Heavy Metals in Food for Children [16:08] Only Three U.S. States Have Adopted Most Recent Version of FDA Food Code [23:25] Dr. Kathleen Glass to be Honored with Food Safety Magazine's 2024 Distinguished Service Award We Want to Hear from You! Please send us your questions and suggestions to podcast@food-safety.com
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    53 mins
  • World Food Safety Day 2024 and Mick Miklos: Prepare for the Unexpected

    World Food Safety Day 2024 and Mick Miklos: Prepare for the Unexpected
    Jun 7 2024

    Mark (Mick) Micklos, CP-FS, is an executive dedicated to food safety education and advocacy. His 27-year career includes 16 years in restaurant operations, training, and food safety, the majority of which was spent holding Director- or Vice President-level positions at Waffle House Inc.; seven years at the National Restaurant Association working on behalf of industry, culminating as Director of Food Safety and QA Programming; and most recently, as a Partner-Advisor with Active Food Safety LLC, where his work with the Association of Food and Drug Officials (AFDO) has led to breakthrough discoveries in Food Safety Management System and food safety culture behavior in foodservice establishments. Mick has served on 19 professional advisory boards and committees. He has published six articles and three book chapters, and has contributed to two guidance documents. He has earned ten awards for his work and is a frequently requested speaker on a wide variety of topics.

    In this episode of Food Safety Matters, we speak with Mick [2:36] about:

    • A chapter he wrote in Food Safety Leadership in the Business of Food Safety—a book recently published by BNP Media and Food Safety Magazine and edited by Hal King, Ph.D.—titled, "Developing a Business Model that Improves Public Health: Recovery from Natural Disasters and Food Safety Emergencies"
    • Mick’s experience with developing a formal food safety training and certification program for Waffle House
    • Unique attributes of Waffle House’s operation that posed challenges to the design of Waffle House’s corporate food safety program, but also provided boons to the business
    • How businesses can build a resilient food safety program that is equipped to handle food safety emergencies, reflecting the theme of World Food Safety Day 2024, which is “Prepare for the Unexpected.”
    • Initiatives Mick implemented to help Waffle House locations ensure food safety when operating during natural disasters
    • The importance of and suggestions for building relationships with regulators, local emergency responders, and public health agencies prior to a disaster
    • The meaning of the “Waffle House test” and how it testifies to the company’s exceptional efforts in emergency operation and food safety preparedness
    • A change made to the 2013 U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Food Code that Mick helped facilitate, which allows certain foodservice businesses with approved emergency operating procedures to stay open during a disaster or to reopen without an inspection.

    Resources
    World Food Safety Day 2024 Urges Everyone to “Prepare for the Unexpected”
    Food Safety Leadership in the Business of Food Safety

    NSF: The Real Impact of Food Safety Cerifications

    Sponsored by:
    NSF

    We Want to Hear from You!
    Please send us your questions and suggestions to podcast@food-safety.com
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    54 mins
  • Ep. 170. Dr. Barbara Kowalcyk: An Integrated Approach to Food Safety, Nutrition, and Food Security

    Ep. 170. Dr. Barbara Kowalcyk: An Integrated Approach to Food Safety, Nutrition, and Food Security
    May 28 2024
    Barbara Kowalcyk, Ph.D., M.A., is an Associate Professor in the Department of Exercise and Nutrition Sciences and the Director of the Food Policy Institute at George Washington University's (GW's) Milken Institute School of Public Health. She also has an appointment in the U.S. Department of Environmental and Occupational Health and is a fellow with the Sumner M. Redstone Global Center for Prevention and Wellness. Dr. Kowalcyk's research spans a range of topics related to food safety and infectious foodborne disease, and their intersection with nutrition security. She has extensively used epidemiologic methods, data analytics, and risk analysis to assess food safety risks and potential intervention strategies in both the U.S. and the Global South. Prior to joining GW in 2023, Dr. Kowalcyk was faculty at Ohio State University with appointments in the Department of Food Science and Technology and the Department of Environmental Health Sciences, and directed the Center for Foodborne Illness Research and Prevention (CFI), a nonprofit organization she co-founded in 2006. Prior to joining OSU, she was a senior food safety and public health scientist at RTI International and a research assistant professor in the Department of Food, Bioprocessing, and Nutrition Science at North Carolina State University. Dr. Kowalcyk holds a B.A. degree in mathematics from the University of Dayton, an M.A. degree in Applied Statistics from the University of Pittsburgh, and a Ph.D. in Environmental Health from the University of Cincinnati. She has served on many national committees, including two National Academy of Sciences committees and her current appointment to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration's (FDA's) Science Board. In this episode of Food Safety Matters, we speak with Dr. Kowalcyk [39:50] about: Her research and advocacy work in the food safety realm, which focuses on advancing equitable food systems that promote public health and prevent foodborne illness How Dr. Kowalcyk's background and personal experiences shaped her career in food safety The interconnectedness of food safety, nutrition, and food security, and the need for an integrated approach to drive improvement in these three areas Dr. Kowalcyk's experience as part of the Reagan-Udall Foundation independent panel that conducted the 2022 evaluation of FDA's operations, and her impressions of the proposed reorganization plan for the agency's Human Foods Program The benefits of whole genome sequencing (WGS) and other technological advancements in foodborne illness outbreak detection and monitoring, and why “boots-on-the-ground” data is still crucial Current food safety challenges on Dr. Kowalcyk’s radar, like the effects of climate change on the safety of water used in food production and the need for workforce development in the food safety industry. News and Resources FDA Publishes FSMA Pre-Harvest Agricultural Water Final Rule [7:41] USDA Testing Retail Ground Beef for HPAI H5N1; Maintains That U.S. Meat Supply is Safe [17:28] FDA Testing Finds HPAI in Retail Milk Samples; Research Required to Determine Infectivity, Food Safety Risk Florida Becomes First State to Ban Cell-Based Meat [23:50] Alabama Poised to Ban Cell-Based Meat Thanks, Sesame: U.S. Food Recalls Due to Undeclared Allergens Skyrocketed in 2023, Causing Half of All Food Recalls [32:53] Food Safety Summit 2024 Keynote: On-Demand Replay Now AvailableFood Industry Counsel—Food Recall Search 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 28 mins
  • Bonus Episode: Live from the 2024 Food Safety Summit—Part 2

    Bonus Episode: Live from the 2024 Food Safety Summit—Part 2
    May 16 2024

    To get a taste of the discussions that were happening at the 2024 Food Safety Summit, we spoke face-to-face with Melody Ge, M.S., FSQA, Director at Starkist Co. and Co-Founder of Women in Food Safety (WIFS); Jacqueline Southee, Ph.D., North American Representative at Foundation FSSC and Co-Founder of WIFS; Jill Hoffman, M.S., Senior Director of Food Safety and Quality at B&G Foods; Anjan Chatterji, M.B.A., J.D., LL.M., CEO of NOMADX Holdings; Jorge Hernandez, Vice President of Quality Assurance at The Wendy’s Company; Chirag Bhatt, RS, CCFS, Director of Regulatory Affairs at HS GovTech Solutions; Tyler Williams, CEO of ASI Food; Marc Cwikowski and Tülay Kahraman, Co-Founders at World of Auditing; and Angela Nardone, COO of Share-ify. Discussions covered the advancement of female food safety professionals, allergen control in both foodservice and food processing, the future of food safety auditing, and other topics.

    In this episode of Food Safety Matters, we speak with:

    • Melody, Jacqueline, and Jill [2:27] about the work of WIFS, and how women professionals in food safety can support themselves and each other
    • Anjan [20:59] about how the NOMADX platform helps enhance food safety and save lives
    • Jorge and Chirag [38:06] about the crucial importance of addressing allergens in both foodservice and food processing
    • Tyler [58:08] about mitigating possible food safety risks posed by disgruntled employees
    • Marc and Tülay [1:11:59] about the outcomes of a think tank on the future of food safety auditing, incorporating insights from more than 30 professionals from 18 countries
    • Angela [1:28:31] about common gaps in food companies’ traceability programs and how Share-ify provides a solution.

    News and Resources:

    Stream On-Demand for Free: Recordings of FSS 2024 Keynote and Other Sessions
    FSS 2024 Town Hall with FDA, CDC, USDA, and AFDO
    FSS '24: Regulatory, Industry Experts Share Best Practices Around FSMA 204 and Traceability Efforts
    The 26th Annual Food Safety Summit Attracts 3,400 Food Safety Professionals In Person and Virtually, a 26 Percent Increase From the 2023 Event

    Sponsored by:

    NOMADX
    ASI Food Safety
    Share-ify

    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 50 mins