Food Safety Matters

Erik Mettler is Assistant Commissioner for Partnerships and Policy within the Office of Regulatory Affairs (ORA) in the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. In this role, he serves as advisor to the Associate Commissioner for Regulatory Affairs on the full range of ORA's activities including partnerships, implementation of new laws and regulations, and overall strategic planning and prioritization. He is responsible for providing long-range strategic direction for ORA policies and programs including the implementation of the Food Safety Modernization Act. Michael Rogers is Assistant Commissioner for human and animal food (HAF) operations at FDA's ORA, focusing on inspection- and compliance-related issues in the human and animal food programs and overseeing the program directors for east and west HAF operations, as well as state cooperative programs. Mr. Rogers joined FDA in 1991 as a Field Investigator in the Baltimore District. He then became a Supervisory Investigator at the Northern Virginia Resident Post, a Branch Director at FDA headquarters, the Director of the Division of Field Investigations, and later the Director of FDA's Latin American Office. Travis Waller is the Director of Regulatory Services for the Utah Department of Agriculture and Food, where he has served since 2014. He oversees five regulatory program areas including retail and manufactured foods; weights and measures; dairy inspection; egg; and poultry grading and inspection, bedding, quilted clothing, and upholstered furniture. Mr. Waller has worked in retail food safety for the past 21 years in both industry and government. In this episode of Food Safety Matters, we speak with Erik, Michael, and Travis [17:14] about: Division of labor between FDA and states for surveillance inspections Memorializing the Domestic Mutual Reliance (DMR) relationship between FDA and Utah with a formal agreement Details about the Non-Contract Inspection (NCI) program and how states qualify for it How DMR enables better coordination between FDA, states, and localities on recalls and outbreaks Coordinating consumer complaints and corrective actions Lessons learned on building out an integrated food safety system through an integrated workforce under DMR agreements Identifying best practices state-by-state Innovation in DMR agreements throughout the COVID pandemic Benefits of formal DMR agreements between FDA and states News and Resources: FDA Releases Report on Salmonella in CEA Leafy Greens [3:14] Related story:  Is CEA being Oversold? FDA Announces New Egg Regulatory Program Standards [9:28] FDA Allows Certain Rule Exemptions for Supply Chain Crisis [11:53] Europe to Ban Titanium Dioxide in Food from Mid-2022 [13:06] Titanium Dioxide Podcasts: 99% Invisible Podcast: Their Dark Materials Chemistry World – Titanium Dioxide and just because … 99% Invisible: Rock Paper Scissors Bus Register for the Food Safety Summit: May 9–12; Early Bird ends March 31 Podcast listeners get an EXTRA 10%! Use the code FSMPodcast. Register before March 31 and get 10% in addition to the Early Bird discount. After March 31, get 10% off published rates. We Want to Hear from You! Please send us your questions and suggestions to podcast@food-safety.com!      

Adam J. Kuszak, Ph.D., is a health scientist administrator in the Office of Dietary Supplements (ODS) and the director of the ODS Analytical Methods and Reference Materials (AMRM) Program. Through AMRM, he works with stakeholders involved in research, industry, and regulatory affairs to support scientific resource development and promote biomedical research on the mechanisms and health effects of dietary supplements and natural products. In addition, he provides scientific expertise and analyses to facilitate ODS initiative development, program management, strategic planning, and evaluation. Dr. Kuszak’s primary research interests are elucidating the mechanisms of action and effects on cellular signaling networks of natural products and drugs and their chemical and biological characterization. He received his B.S. in pharmacology and toxicology from the University of Wisconsin, Madison, and his Ph.D. in pharmacology from the University of Michigan. He completed his postdoctoral training at the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases and joined the ODS as an American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) Science & Technology Policy Fellow in 2014. Uma Sreenivasan is Director of Reference Materials and Workflows R&D at MilliporeSigma.  MilliporeSigma is the life science business of Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany, and operates as MilliporeSigma in the U.S. and Canada.  Uma and her team are responsible for the development of reference materials and applications used in dietary supplement, pharmaceutical, clinical and forensic testing.  Uma has a deep interest in phytochemicals and natural products chemistry with many years of experience in pharmaceutical, bio-organic, synthetic, and analytical chemistry.  Since 2000, Uma has served in various research and management roles at Cerilliant Corporation, subsequently Sigma Aldrich and now MilliporeSigma. Uma obtained an undergraduate degree in Pharmacy from India followed by a Ph.D. in Medicinal Chemistry from the University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, and postdoctoral training at the Mayo Clinic and the University of Texas, Austin.  In this episode of Food Safety Matters we spoke with Adam and Uma about: Size and growth of the dietary supplement and nutraceutical industry The role of the National Institute of Health’s Office of Dietary Supplements in regulating dietary supplements MilliporeSigma’s role in offering researchers and analytical labs for development The value of reference materials in the dietary supplement industry The most important considerations for designing and choosing reference materials Lessons learned through developing reference materials The desired goals for reference material development References: Sigma Quality Grades NIH ODS website NIH ODS Analytical Methods and Reference Materials Program Efficient Analysis of Kava Extract Sponsored By:  MilliporeSigma We Want to Hear from You!Please send us your questions and suggestions to podcast@food-safety.com

Jennifer McEntire is Chief Food Safety and Regulatory Officer at the International Fresh Produce Association. Prior to the merger of United Fresh and Produce Marketing Association, Jennifer was Vice President of Food Safety and Technology at United Fresh Produce Association. A food microbiologist by background, she has always worked in the Washington, D.C., area, bringing a scientific perspective to food safety regulatory issues. She was previously vice president of science operations at the Grocery Manufacturers Association. She has served as Vice President and Chief Science Officer at The Acheson Group and as the Senior Staff Scientist and Director of Science and Technology Projects at the Institute of Food Technologists. Jennifer earned a Ph.D. from Rutgers University as a USDA National Needs Fellow in food safety. She serves as an advisory board member of the Global Food Traceability Center, the technical committee of the CPS, and she is on the executive committee of the Food Safety Preventive Controls Alliance. In this episode of Food Safety Matters, we speak with Jennifer [24:21] about: How the newly formed IFPA will serve the produce industry IFPA’s work on Capitol Hill and with consumer groups Leadership and workforce development initiatives within IFPA FDA’s revision to agricultural water requirements under the Produce Safety Rule Proposed testing requirements under FSMA subpart E FDA's Foodborne Outbreak Response Improvement Plan (FORIP) Tech-enabled traceback in the produce industry Measuring the effectiveness of FORIP and produce safety initiatives. News and Resources FDA Introduces Faster, Easier Reportable Food Registry Process [4:25] New USDA Labeling for Genetically Modified Foods Goes into Effect [7:05] Biodegradable 'Smart' Food Packaging Material Developed By Singapore Team [14:28] Researchers Develop Antimicrobial 'Jelly Ice Cubes' for Safer Cold Storage [20:45] IFPA Expands Food Safety Support with New Hires [23:06] Register for GFSI Conference: March 29–31 Barcelona, Spain – Early Bird ends Jan 31 Register for Food Safety Summit: May 9–12 – Early Bird ends March 31 We Want to Hear from You! Please send us your questions and suggestions to podcast@foodsafetymagazine.com

With 2021 in the rear-view mirror, the Food Safety Matters team, along with Bob Ferguson of Strategic Consulting, sat down to discuss the big food safety stories and impacts of 2021, and peek ahead at what’s in store as we begin 2022. Topics discussed in this episode include: Regulatory Changes New Era of Smarter Food Safety PFAS COVID-19 Supply Chain Food Market Changes Food Safety Culture Sponsored by: Michigan State University Online Food Safety Program Online MS in Food Safety Program Curriculum: Online MS in Food Safety Program We Want to Hear from You! Please send us your questions and suggestions to podcast@foodsafetymagazine.com

Mark Wittrock is the Director of the Food, Agriculture, and Veterinary Defense Division within the Countering Weapons of Mass Destruction Office at the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS). In this role, he oversees the coordination and integration of the Department’s food, agriculture, and veterinary defense efforts across DHS, the federal interagency, state, local, tribal, and territorial governments, academia, and the international community. His DHS focus is largely on mitigating the potential impacts from high-consequence and/or catastrophic events on the food and agriculture sectors and building stronger resilience to both the unintentional and intentional introduction of poisons, pests, or pathogens that could have quickly cascading impacts across the sectors.  Mr. Wittrock has held a range of counterterrorism, nonproliferation, and counter-proliferation posts, both in the U.S. and abroad—including Deputy Assistant Director for International Cooperation, Senior Policy Advisor to the Deputy Administrator for Defense Nuclear Nonproliferation at the National Nuclear Security Administration. Mr. Wittrock worked as a Foreign Affairs Officer at the U.S. Department of State, as well as served in the U.S. Department of Defense, both on active duty and as a civil servant. Mark holds an M.S. in national security strategy, an M.B.A. in global management, and has Certificates of Professional Fluency in Russian from the U.S. Defense Language Institute, Moscow State University (Lomonosov), and the British Institute of Linguistics.   In this episode of Food Safety Matters, we speak to Mark [29:27] about: Overview of the Office of Food, Agriculture, and Veterinary Defense Engaging emergency support functions during the pandemic Building the architecture framework to enhance resilience and prevent crisis The One Health initiative: the interconnection between people, animals, plants, and their environment Developing robust interagency partnerships Developing partnerships with external organizations, agencies, universities, and corporations Call to industry as a critical partner in developing resilience. News and References FDA Proposed Revision for Produce Safety Rule’s Agricultural Water Requirements [3:40] Related articles: You Can’t Change the Future by Always Looking at the Past Fixing FSMA’s Ag Water Requirements EFSA Assesses Risk of Bacteria Spread During Animal Transport [12:19] USDA Agriculture Secretary to Nominate New Under Secretary for Food Safety [15:22] Food Safety Insights [17:23] Supply Chain Woes—What is at Stake, and What Will Change? We Want to Hear from You! Please send your questions and suggestions to podcast@foodsafetymagazine.com

Sally Powell Price joined MilliporeSigma in 2020 as a Regulatory Expert for Food Safety Testing for North America. Previously, she served as Director of Lab Operations at a biotech startup in Boston and was a Food Lab Supervisor at the New York City Department of Health - Public Health Laboratory.  She has a bachelor’s degree in Biology, a master’s in Microbiology & Immunology, and did continuing coursework in public health and foodborne disease at Harvard TH Chan School of Public Health. She’s a member of the Association of Food and Drug Officials (AFDO), American Public Health Association, Association of Public Health Laboratories, and AOAC.  Justyce Jedlicka currently serves as the Food and Beverage Regulatory Liaison in North America for MilliporeSigma. Responsible for engaging with influencers in the food and beverage industry to align initiatives to be in the highest regulatory compliance and promote best practices among testing methods promoting the safest and highest quality food, Justyce has been serving the food and beverage industry since 2013. She received her BS in Chemistry and MBA from the University of Missouri in St. Louis. She currently serves on the Food Sciences Section Executive Board of the American Council of Independent Labs and is a member of IAFP, ISBT, and AOAC. In this BONUS episode of Food Safety Matters we speak with Sally and Justyce about: Where do mycotoxins come from?  Why mycotoxins are a concern in the food space Contributing factors to the rising concern of mycotoxins How mycotoxins are controlled from a regulatory standpoint Recommended resources for those interested in understanding the regulatory landscape Commodities where mycotoxin analysis is becoming increasingly relevant Sampling and testing challenges some might experience with Mycotoxins? How customers can leverage companies like MilliporeSigma to maintain compliance References: Association of American Feed Control Officials AOAC’s Cannabis Analytical Science Program FDA’s Chemical Hazards Resource Page Sponsored by: MilliporeSigma We Want to Hear from You! Please send us your questions and suggestions to podcast@foodsafetymagazine.com  

Mitzi Baum joined the team at Stop Foodborne Illness as the Chief Executive Officer in May 2019. Prior to beginning her tenure at Stop, Mitzi cultivated a 23-year career at Feeding America beginning as a network services representative rising to the senior level position of managing director of food safety. Mitzi holds a Master of Science in Food Safety and a certificate in Food Law from Michigan State University. She earned her Bachelor of Science degree from Bowling Green State University, Bowling Green, OH. Steve Mandernach is the executive director of the Association of Food and Drug Officials (AFDO), which unites high-level regulatory officials, industry representatives, trade associations, academia, and consumer organizations. Prior to becoming executive director in 2018, Steve was the bureau chief for food and consumer safety at the Iowa Department of Inspections. He is a past president of AFDO and current co-chair of the Association’s Laws and Regulations committee. He has a J.D. from Drake University Law School. Steve is also a member of Food Safety Magazine’s Editorial Advisory Board. Jennifer Pierquet joined the Association of Food and Drug Officials (AFDO) in May 2019 as a Project Manager to oversee two support and maintenance contracts for 20 state inspection systems. Jenny leads the recall modernization project and Co-Chairs AFDO's Food Protection and Defense Committee. Formerly, she worked for the Iowa Department of Inspections and Appeals, Food and Consumer Safety Bureau as the Manufacturing Foods Regulatory Program Standards Coordinator and was involved in Iowa's Rapid Response Team. Prior to Iowa, she worked for the Minnesota Department of Agriculture. Jenny received a Master’s in Public Health from the University of Minnesota, School of Public Health, and is a proud alumnus of the University of Wisconsin–Madison. In this episode of Food Safety Matters, we speak with Mitzi, Steve, and Jennifer [17:41] about: How the recall process has worked for the last 20 years Some of the problems associated with how recalls are currently handled Identifying gaps in the recall process for consumers The complexity of recalls and recall fatigue STOP’s working group and their recommendations to FDA AFDO’s recommendations to FDA Are recalls happening fast enough – too fast? Priorities for change that could be implemented quickly Training Using consistent language between agencies Viewing recalls as urgent public health issues News Study Examines Role of Dust Particles in Transferring Pathogens to Produce FSIS Releases FY2020 Foodborne Illness Outbreak Investigations Summary Report FDA Releases New Food Fraud Website We Want to Hear from You! Please send us your questions and suggestions to podcast@foodsafetymagazine.com

Kerry Bridges is Vice President of Food Safety at Chipotle Mexican Grill. In this role, Kerry oversees food safety standards, quality assurance, and procedures. Kerry joined Chipotle in January of 2019 and oversees a team of individuals who are committed to enforcing Chipotle’s zero-tolerance policy and industry-leading processes, focusing on supply chain, in-restaurant practices, food prep, and employee training. Prior to joining Chipotle, Kerry oversaw supplier food safety for the world’s largest food retailer, Walmart, serving over 200 million customers around the world on a weekly basis. During her time at Walmart, Kerry’s food safety oversight included tens of thousands of Walmarts, Neighborhood Markets, and Sam’s Clubs food suppliers, in addition to researching and assessing new and emerging food safety issues and handling regulatory compliance. Prior to Walmart, Kerry’s food safety career included roles with TESCO and Jack in the Box Inc. Kerry is the past President of the International Association for the Southern California Affiliate of Food Protection (IAFP) and a former Board Member of the Global Food Safety Initiative (GSFI). Kerry attended California Polytechnic State University, where she received a bachelor’s degree in Food Science. In this episode of Food Safety Matters, we talk to Kerry [1:58] about: Looking back on the 2015 norovirus outbreaks Chipotle’s HACCP and Norovirus Prevention Protocol (NPP) programs Top three steps foodservice providers should take to prevent foodborne illness How to include food safety training in every aspect of business Establishing Food Safety Leaders in every restaurant Strategic direction for Field Food Safety Teams Using data to establish a digital HACCP program How food safety and wellness programs prepared Chipotle for COVID-19 Working with Zero Hour Health Food safety culture: “You’re responsible, and you’re accountable” Highlighting food safety programs on Chipotle’s corporate website Chipotle’s All-Star Food Safety Advisory Council Embracing opportunities to improve food safety through technology References: Chipotle Website Chipotle Website - Food Safety Sponsored by: Michigan State University Michigan State University Online Food Safety Program  Online MS in Food Safety Program Curriculum: Online MS in Food Safety Program We Want to Hear from You! Please send us your questions and suggestions to: podcast@foodsafetymagazine.com  

Dr. Brittany Campbell is the Director of Technical Services for the National Pest Management Association (NPMA). NPMA is a global association supporting the pest management industry and its commitment to protecting public health, food, and property. Brittany earned her master’s degree in Entomology from Virginia Tech and her Ph.D. in Entomology from the University of Florida. In this episode of Food Safety Matters we speak with Brittany [20:49] about: Overview of National Pest Management Association Training and background of pest management professionals Pest Control versus integrated pest management (IPM) Common pests in food plants and the potential impacts Pest identification Controlling rodents and birds Signs you have an infestation Top three things every plant should do to prevent pest issues Advice for starting or updating your pest management program News and Resources: FDA Announces Findings from Sampling of Romaine Lettuce in Yuma, AZ [3:44] FDA Studies Effectiveness of Whole-Genome Sequencing Program [7:17] Bob Ferguson of Strategic Consulting shares insights from his discussion with the authors of the FDA study. We Want to Hear from You! Please send us your questions and suggestions to podcast@foodsafetymagazine.com

George Hatziemanuel is the Marketing Product Manager for Lab Weighing, covering analytical, precision, and moisture balances. Carl Joslyn is the Marketing Product Manager for Industrial products, covering bench and floor weighing products used in food and industrial applications. Carl has been with OHAUS for over 21 years developing and marketing Industrial products. Peter Will is the Marketing Product Manager for Laboratory Equipment, which includes products used in Food Safety Labs such as pH Meters, Centrifuges, and Hot Plate Stirrers.  Peter has over 15 years of experience with product development and marketing of small benchtop lab equipment.   In this BONUS episode of Food Safety Matters, we speak with George, Carl, and Peter about: OHAUS’s history with solving food processing challenges The areas of food processing where OHAUS has the strongest presence The wide range of equipment OHAUS offers How moisture analyzers can be used for food development and processing Applications for pH meters, sample prep equipment, check weighers and scales in food processing The features that you should look for in a piece of equipment to support food safety Maintenance requirements for scales and lab equipment to help ensure accurate and reliable results The most common data requirements for food processing Sponsored by:OHAUS The AquaSearcher New OHAUS Defender® 6000 Extreme Washdown Bench Scale Precision Balances We Want to Hear from You! Please send us your questions and suggestions to podcast@foodsafetymagazine.com