Ep. 173. 100 Years of the Pasteurized Milk Ordinance—And a Look Ahead at Dairy Food Safety

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 ago
• The accomplishments of NCIMS since the first conference was held in 1950, and revisions to the PMO that have come out of recent NCIMS conferences
• The microbial risks of, and foodborne illnesses caused by, raw milk and dairy products, which have been increasing in popularity among consumers
• The possibility of combining audits for producers that make both Grade "A" and non-Grade "A" products
• Ways in which public health agencies and food safety professionals can combat misinformation about “natural” foods like raw milk and dairy being healthier than pasteurized products
• FDA’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

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