Food Safety Matters

Lone Jespersen is the principal at Cultivate, an organization dedicated to helping food manufacturers globally make safe, great-tasting food through cultural effectiveness. Lone has significant experience with food manufacturing, having previously spent 11 years with Maple Leaf Foods. Following the tragic event in 2008 when Maple Leaf products claimed 23 Canadian lives, Lone led the execution of Maple Leaf's food strategy and its operations learning strategy. She holds a master's degree in mechanical engineering from Syd Dansk University (Denmark), and an M.Sc. and Ph.D. in food science from the University of Guelph (Canada).   Marie Tanner joined the Dairy Farmers of America in 2017. She is currently the senior vice president of food safety and quality. Prior to that, Marie was the global chief food safety and quality, health, safety, and environment management at Kerry. Before Kerry, Marie held various quality leadership roles at PepsiCo and Godiva (Ulker). Marie holds an M.Sc. in food science from Rutgers University. She formally served on the board of SSAFE, a global nonprofit working to integrate food safety, animal health, and plant health across food supply chains.  Neil Coole is the director of food and retail supply chain at BSI Americas. In 2015, Neil joined BRC Global Standards to head up their global key account strategy, engaging key industry brand owners, manufacturers, and retailers to understand their requirements from a risk solutions perspective. He was the subject matter expert on BRC Global Standards' new strategy on food safety and quality culture excellence, working with manufacturers on how to embed a culture of food safety and training food manufacturers, brand owners, and suppliers on the important topic of food safety and quality culture excellence.  In this episode of Food Safety Matters, we speak to the panel [11:46] about: Organizational culture and how it influences food safety How a company's culture is created from the top down  How food safety culture can and should give an organization a competitive edge COVID's impact on food safety culture Why the idea of "implementing" a food safety culture is problematic Some wrong ways to go about creating change within an organization's culture Diversity and inclusion, and how they play a role in changing a company's culture How to begin undoing a history of complacency within a company's current culture Tips for improving and sustaining a positive culture Food Safety Culture Articles  Supply Chain and Food Safety Culture - Feb/March 2017  The Supply Chain and Food Safety Culture: Primary Production - April/May 2017  The Supply Chain and Food Safety Culture: Distribution - June/July 2017  The Supply Chain and Food Safety Culture: Processing - Aug/Sep 2017   The Supply Chain and Food Safety Culture: Foodservice - Oct/Nov 2017   The Supply Chain and Food Safety Culture: Retail - Dec/Jan 2018  Supply Chain and Food Safety Culture: Sector Leaders Sharing Their Challenges and Recommended Practices - Feb/March 2018 Resources Cultivate Maturity Model BSI - Cultivate Food Safety Culture Postcard  BSI - COVID-19 Safe Working Guidelines  BSI - Workplace Hygiene Solutions Brochure  BSI - Workplace Hygiene Solutions Video BSI - UK's National Standards Body - COVID-19 Response  News Mentioned in This Episode EU's Draft Amendment of Hygiene Legislation Includes Focus on Food Safety Culture [2:07] - see official draft regulation document  FDA Announces the Voluntary Phase-Out of by Industry of Certain PFAS Used in Food Packaging [3:46] | The Growing Challenge of Safe Water Use for Food Processing Operations UMASS Food Scientist Secures Grant to Develop New Method for Cleaning Peanut Butter Off Food Processing Equipment [7:42]  Keep Up with Food Safety Magazine Follow Us on Twitter @FoodSafetyMag and on Facebook  Subscribe to our magazine and our biweekly eNewsletter We Want to Hear From You! Please share your comments, questions, and suggestions. Tell us about yourself—we'd love to hear about your food safety challenges and successes. We want to get to know you! Here are a few ways to be in touch with us. Email us at podcast@foodsafetymagazine.com Record a voice memo on your phone and email it to us at podcast@foodsafetymagazine.com

This episode features a panel of the Food Safety Preventive Control Alliance (FSPCA)'s lead instructors. They discuss virtual food safety training in the age of COVID. Connie Landis Fisk is a northwest regional extension associate for the Produce Safety Alliance (PSA). PSA has a temporary policy allowing its trainers to deliver their Grower Training Course remotely during the COVID-19 pandemic. Connie offers a weekly office hour to share tips and answer questions about using Zoom for those remote trainings. Amanda Evans-Lara is a principle food safety consultant and compliance specialist with HACCP Mentor, a website that provides tools, tips, and training to help food businesses comply with global, customer, and regulatory Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points (HACCP) and food safety requirements. She has over 28 years of experience working with Australian and international food businesses. Amanda is an FSPCA lead instructor for Preventive Controls for Human Food and Intentional Adulteration Vulnerability Assessments courses.  Charles Kalish is a managing member and co-founder of Food Safety Guides, a food safety and quality consulting and training firm that specializes in remote consulting. He is a lead instructor for FSPCA's Preventive Controls (Human and Animal), Foreign Supplier Verification Programs, and Intentional Adulteration Vulnerability Assessment courses. Charlie is also a Safe Quality Food (SQF) trainer and lead instructor for the International Food Protection Institute (IFPTI)'s Instructor Skills Training. Michael Kalish is a managing member and co-founder of Food Safety Guides. He is a lead instructor for FSPCA's Preventive Controls (Human and Animal), Foreign Supplier Verification Programs, and Intentional Adulteration Vulnerability Assessment courses. Michael is also an SQF trainer and lead instructor for IFPTI's Instructor Skills Training. A special thanks to our friend and previous podcast guest Kathy Gombas (Ep. 26) for spearheading this discussion. Kathy is a member of FSPCA's Steering Committee. She also serves on Food Safety Magazine's Editorial Advisory Board. In this episode of Food Safety Matters, we speak to the panel [12:23] about: The features, benefits, and ins and outs of using Zoom, Google Hangouts, and other digital platforms to perform food safety certification courses Maintaining high levels of participation and engagement during online training How training and testing policies and procedures have changed to fit a virtual format Conducting oral exams vs. standardized tests online Challenges and limitations of web-based teaching and training News Mentioned in This Episode Salmonella Newport Outbreak Linked to Onions [3:46] FDA Announces New Protocol for the Development and Registration of Treatments for Preharvest Ag Water Antimicrobial [5:40] | Water Disinfection: A Practical Approach to Calculating Dose Values for Pre- and Postharvest Applications (2001) Pillsbury Announces "Safe to Eat Raw" Products [10:03]   Keep Up with Food Safety Magazine Follow Us on Twitter @FoodSafetyMag and on Facebook  Subscribe to our magazine and our biweekly eNewsletter We Want to Hear From You! Please share your comments, questions, and suggestions. Tell us about yourself—we'd love to hear about your food safety challenges and successes. We want to get to know you! Here are a few ways to be in touch with us. Email us at podcast@foodsafetymagazine.com Record a voice memo on your phone and email it to us at podcast@foodsafetymagazine.com

In this BONUS episode of Food Safety Matters, we speak—for the third time—to Sharon Dobesh (director of technical services) and Jerry Heath (staff entomologist) from the Industrial Fumigant Company (IFC) about insect growth regulators (IGR) and how these compounds can benefit a pest control management plan. In this BONUS episode of Food Safety Matters, we speak to IFC about: The benefits of fogging and aerosol applications How toxicity, safety, and warning labels have evolved IGRs and how these compounds can keep insects from taking over a food facility Fixed or remote fogging application systems Re-entry guidelines after a fogging application Tips for preparing for a pest control analysis The importance of proactive pest control vs. reactive Resources IFC Resources ​ Presenting Sponsor: IFC

Joe Stout is the founder of Commercial Food Sanitation, a consulting firm that provides food safety and sanitation solutions to food processing plants. Before that, Joe spent nearly 30 years at Kraft Foods. While there, he held a variety of positions related to operations, quality, and sanitation, ultimately leading to his role as Kraft's director of global product protection, sanitation, and hygienic design. In this role at Kraft, Joe had global responsibility for plant cleaning controls and processes, allergen and pathogen control programs, pest control, and hygienic design for facilities and equipment used in more than 200 Kraft plants. Joe also managed the Global Product Protection Group, assuring global support for internal and external plants. Joe led the American Meat Institute’s (AMI) Equipment Design Task Force and has led Listeria Intervention training for AMI and the American Frozen Food Institute. He is the current leader of the Consumer Brands Association's (formerly, the Grocery Manufacturers Association) Sanitary Design Working Group. He also conducts allergen training for the Food Allergy Research Resource Program. In addition to his involvement with these and many other leading industry organizations, Joe is a published authority when it comes to food safety, sanitation, hygiene, and other related areas. Joe was previously featured in Ep. 42 of Food Safety Matters. In this episode of Food Safety Matters, we speak to Joe [24:00] about: Why Listeria is such a tricky pathogen to get rid of Seek and destroy vs. seek and eliminate How Kraft has handled past instances of Listeria Why ready-to-eat products are so susceptible to Listeria contamination Pairing a Listeria control program with environmental monitoring Sanitation procedures for Listeria vs. Salmonella A company's options when a complete food facility rebuild or redesign is not possible Advice for cleaning equipment Swabbing frequency tips Why completely avoiding Listeria in certain food plants is impossible We also speak with Steve Mandernach [9:12] about: The release of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration's New Era of Smarter Food Safety Blueprint Joe Stout's Articles in Food Safety Magazine Hygienic Design: How Our Thinking Has Evolved Perspectives on Practices in Food Plant Sanitation and Hygiene Principles of Environmental Pathogen Control 10 Principles of Equipment Design for Ready-to-Eat Processing Operations News Mentioned in This Episode FDA Prepares for Resumption of Domestic Inspections with New Risk Assessment System [2:07] FDA: Inspections of Small Businesses under the FSMA Intentional Adulteration Rule to Begin March 2021 [5:09] Former Blue Bell CEO: Felony Charges Dropped in Deadly Listeria Outbreak Case [7:00]   Sponsor: Michigan State University Michigan State University Online Food Safety Program  Online MS in Food Safety Program Curriculum: Online MS in Food Safety Program Keep Up with Food Safety Magazine Follow Us on Twitter @FoodSafetyMag and on Facebook  Subscribe to our magazine and our biweekly eNewsletter We Want to Hear From You! Please share your comments, questions, and suggestions. Tell us about yourself—we'd love to hear about your food safety challenges and successes. We want to get to know you! Here are a few ways to be in touch with us. Email us at podcast@foodsafetymagazine.com Record a voice memo on your phone and email it to us at podcast@foodsafetymagazine.com

John G. Keogh is a strategist, advisor, and management science researcher with 30 years of executive leadership roles as director, vice president, and senior vice president in global supply chain management, information technology, technology consulting, and supply chain standards. Currently, he is managing principal at Toronto-based, niche advisory, and research firm Shantalla Inc. He holds a post-graduate diploma in Management, an MBA in Management, and a Master of Science in Business and Management Research in Transparency and Trust in the Food Chain. He is currently completing doctoral research focused on transparency and trust in global food chains at Henley Business School, University of Reading, using the lenses of agency theory, signaling theory, and transactional cost theory. Carl or ’’C.J.” Unis is a Systems Engineer with expertise in Continuity of Operations, Continuity of Government, devolution, infrastructure, supply chain logistics, and emergency management. He has a Master’s Degree in Systems Engineering from the Stevens Institute of Technology. C.J. was formerly the critical infrastructure protection program manager for the New Mexico Department of Homeland Security and Emergency Management. He has served as a federal agent in the capacity of providing classified transportation for the Department of Energy, National Nuclear Security Administration—Office of Secure Transportation, as well as holding numerous positions for the U.S. Marine Corps in the capacity of performing internal embassy, dignitary, motor transport specialist, and classified material security duties. John and C.J. are the authors of our June/July 2020 cover story.  In this episode of Food Safety Matters, we speak to C.J. and John [11:14] about: Companies having to seek alternative methods of distribution due to COVID-19 The risks associated with not performing plant-level inspections Remote auditing How COVID has opened up more opportunities to commit food fraud How ingredient changes and formula deviations could cause problems after the pandemic is over Health and safety best practices for meat facilities and how those recommendations haven't changed in at least 10  years Why the phrase "social distancing" is problematic, and what term should be used instead News Mentioned in This Episode Another Foodborne Outbreak for Salad Products, This Time Due to Cyclospora Contamination [1:24]   Allergy Community Still Concerned About FDA's Temporary Labeling Guidance [6:34] USDA and FDA Issue Joint Statement Regarding Food Export Restrictions and COVID [8:44] Keep Up with Food Safety Magazine Follow Us on Twitter @FoodSafetyMag and on Facebook  Subscribe to our magazine and our biweekly eNewsletter We Want to Hear From You! Please share your comments, questions, and suggestions. Tell us about yourself—we'd love to hear about your food safety challenges and successes. We want to get to know you! Here are a few ways to be in touch with us. Email us at podcast@foodsafetymagazine.com Record a voice memo on your phone and email it to us at podcast@foodsafetymagazine.com

John G. Keogh is a strategist, advisor, and management science researcher with 30 years of executive leadership roles as director, vice president, and senior vice president in global supply chain management, information technology, technology consulting, and supply chain standards. Currently, he is managing principal at Toronto-based, niche advisory, and research firm Shantalla Inc. He holds a post-graduate diploma in Management, an MBA in Management, and a Master of Science in Business and Management Research in Transparency and Trust in the Food Chain. He is currently completing doctoral research focused on transparency and trust in global food chains at Henley Business School, University of Reading, using the lenses of agency theory, signaling theory, and transactional cost theory. Carl or ’’C.J.” Unis is a Systems Engineer with expertise in Continuity of Operations, Continuity of Government, devolution, infrastructure, supply chain logistics, and emergency management. He has a Master’s Degree in Systems Engineering from the Stevens Institute of Technology. C.J. was formerly the critical infrastructure protection program manager for the New Mexico Department of Homeland Security and Emergency Management. He has served as a federal agent in the capacity of providing classified transportation for the Department of Energy, National Nuclear Security Administration—Office of Secure Transportation, as well as holding numerous positions for the U.S. Marine Corps in the capacity of performing internal embassy, dignitary, motor transport specialist, and classified material security duties. In this episode of Food Safety Matters, we speak to C.J. and John [18:48] about: What the food industry may experience after the pandemic How the food industry's "new normal" will need to incorporate and adapt digitization Changes that supply chains and product fulfillment centers may go through Problems that the food industry experienced at the onset of the pandemic How military-style training can help foster a more proactive approach within food companies Technology-based "trip wires" Bob Ferguson's Food Safety Insights [9:07] Bob joins us to discuss his article featured in our June/July 2020 issue. That article will be shared here once it's available. Want more from Bob Ferguson? Find more of his articles and podcast segments. News Mentioned in This Episode USDA FSIS to Expand STEC Testing to Additional Raw Beef Products [2:21]   AFFI Responds to Officials Linking COVID-19 to Imported Seafood [5:32] Keep Up with Food Safety Magazine Follow Us on Twitter @FoodSafetyMag and on Facebook  Subscribe to our magazine and our biweekly eNewsletter We Want to Hear From You! Please share your comments, questions, and suggestions. Tell us about yourself—we'd love to hear about your food safety challenges and successes. We want to get to know you! Here are a few ways to be in touch with us. Email us at podcast@foodsafetymagazine.com Record a voice memo on your phone and email it to us at podcast@foodsafetymagazine.com

In this BONUS episode of Food Safety Matters, we speak to Paul Barnhill, chief technology officer and head engineer at Meritech, the leader in automated employee hygiene. He has over 28 years of experience working with professionals in food manufacturing, healthcare, and foodservice. He understands the challenges these industries face when creating hygiene programs and how to overcome these obstacles through education and automated technologies. Paul often speaks on best practices in hand hygiene, footwear sanitation, and the science behind pathogen removal. Helping food processing and packaging facilities produce safe and healthy products through hygiene excellence is a passion for him. Prior to joining Meritech, Paul worked at Medtronic, Inc. a leader in cardiovascular equipment and implantable devices, in their hemostasis division as a mechanical designer within the R&D department. Paul earned his accreditation degree from the American Institute for Design & Drafting.  In this BONUS episode of Food Safety Matters, we speak to Paul about: The most prevalent challenges with traditional handwashing and instant sanitizers The advantages of automated handwashing Meritech's CleanTech automated handwashing system Often overlooked steps in handwashing The Meritech Employee Hygiene Toolbox--what's included and who it's for Common problems with hygienic zoning and why it matters for handwashing Why creating a food safety culture goes beyond basic regulatory requirements and why that matters How foodservice is experimenting with new handwashing concepts Resources Employee Hygiene Toolbox How to Wash Your Hands Properly: A Step by Step Handwashing Guide with Hygiene Expert Paul Barnhill Meritech.com  Presenting Sponsor: Meritech

Keith Warriner, Ph.D., is a professor of food science at the University of Guelph. He is also the food science graduate coordinator of the department’s Master of Science and Ph.D. food science programs. After completing his Ph.D. in microbial physiology at the University College of Wales, he worked for the Department of Medicine at the University of Manchester where he studied biosensors. He also attended the University of Nottingham as a research fellow in food microbiology, working with fresh produce. He joined the Department of Food Science at the University of Guelph in 2002 and was promoted to full professor in 2011. He is the former president of the Ontario Food Protection Association, a member of the International Association of Food Protection, is an associate editor of the Canadian Journal of Microbiology, and is on the editorial board for Applied & Environmental Microbiology and International Journal of Food Microbiology. ​Keith's research revolves around food safety and food microbiology, allowing him to work closely with industry and apply his research findings in a practical way. Keith was previously interviewed for Episode 37 of Food Safety Matters. In this episode of Food Safety Matters, we speak to Keith [14:30] about: The history of Henry Fenton, the Fenton reaction, and the Fenton reagent The use of water, hydrogen peroxide, and UV light to kill pollutants, pesticides, etc. Applying hydroxyl radicals to fresh produce including spinach and other leafy greens The advanced oxidation process (AOP) and why it's so problematic with tomatoes  How the 2006 spinach outbreak change the leafy greens industry's outlook on food safety Thoughts on how to address polluted water affecting leafy greens and how his process would likely be effective The George Weston Seeding Innovation Program Why washing is so problematic in preventing cross-contamination in leafy greens What matters to food companies when it comes to AOP AOP's use with meat and fish The current pandemic, N95 masks, and how food recalls have been affected News Mentioned in This Episode FDA: Nearby Cattle Grazing Land Likely to Blame for Late 2019 Romaine Lettuce Outbreaks [7:50] Pandemic Challenges Highlight the Importance of New Era of Smarter Food Safety [11:22] Keep Up with Food Safety Magazine Follow Us on Twitter @FoodSafetyMag and on Facebook  Subscribe to our magazine and our biweekly eNewsletter We Want to Hear From You! Please share your comments, questions, and suggestions. Tell us about yourself—we'd love to hear about your food safety challenges and successes. We want to get to know you! Here are a few ways to be in touch with us. Email us at podcast@foodsafetymagazine.com Record a voice memo on your phone and email it to us at podcast@foodsafetymagazine.com

Dr. David Acheson, is the founder and CEO of The Acheson Group and brings more than 30 years of medical and food safety research and experience to provide strategic advice as well as recall and crisis management support to food companies and ancillary technology companies on a global basis on all matters relating to food safety and food defense.   David graduated from the University of London Medical School and practiced internal medicine and infectious diseases in the United Kingdom until 1987 when he moved to the New England Medical Center and became an Associate Professor at Tufts University in Boston, studying the molecular pathogenesis of foodborne pathogens.   Prior to forming The Acheson Group, David served as the Chief Medical Officer at the U.S. Department of Agriculture Food Safety and Inspection Service and then joined the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) as the Chief Medical Officer at the FDA Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition (CFSAN). After serving as the director of CFSAN’s Office of Food Defense, Communication, and Emergency Response, David was appointed as the Assistant and then Associate Commissioner for Foods, which provided him an agency-wide leadership role for all food and feed issues and the responsibility for the development of the 2007 Food Protection Plan, which served as the basis for many of the authorities granted to FDA by the Food Safety Modernization Act.   From 2009 to 2013, he was a partner at Leavitt Partners where he managed Leavitt Partners Global Food Safety Solutions.  David has published extensively and is internationally recognized both for his public health expertise in food safety and his research in infectious diseases. He is a sought-after speaker and regular guest on national news programs. He serves on a variety of boards and food safety advisory groups of several major food manufacturers. David was previously a guest on Food Safety Matters – episodes 12 and 45. In this episode of Food Safety Matters, we speak to David [11:31] about: Classifying RTE foods and how consumer behavior plays a critical role Challenges related to messaging and marketing tactics displayed on consumer packaging and how it can interfere with food safety perception Consumer vs. manufacturer responsibility when foodborne illness occurs How food processing trends, consumer behaviors, and regulations intertwine Steps a company can take to determine if their product is truly RTE Why consistently negative swabbing results is not a good thing How FDA responds to positive contamination findings in a plant The challenges associated with drilling down traceability to the item level Romaine lettuce and why leafy greens are such a tricky commodity Salmonella and the likelihood that it may officially become an adulterant David Acheson's Contributions to Food Safety Magazine Managing Risks in the Global Supply Chain  What Have We Learned about FSMA Implementation?  Are All Salmonella Created Equal? New Directions in Food Protection   ​Resource: Blog: What Does Marler's Salmonella Citizen Petition Mean to You? News Mentioned in This Episode USA Today: Inspections, Citations, Recalls Slashed: Coronavirus is Testing America's Food Safety Net [4:17] LGMA: Work Underway to Further Strengthen Food Safety Practices for Leafy Greens [9:19] LeafyGreenGuidance.com Keep Up with Food Safety Magazine Follow Us on Twitter @FoodSafetyMag and on Facebook  Subscribe to our magazine and our biweekly eNewsletter We Want to Hear From You! Please share your comments, questions, and suggestions. Tell us about yourself—we'd love to hear about your food safety challenges and successes. We want to get to know you! Here are a few ways to be in touch with us. Email us at podcast@foodsafetymagazine.com Record a voice memo on your phone and email it to us at podcast@foodsafetymagazine.com

Bryan Hitchcock is the executive director of the Global Food Traceability Center (GFTC) for the Institute of Food Technologists (IFT). Bryan is responsible for managing and directing the GFTC, including overall leadership, strategy and governance, sales and marketing, and government, public, and industry relations. Additionally, Bryan is IFT's principal scientific and technology leader on matters related to existing food chains and their digital transformation. His previous roles have been with PepsiCo, Procter & Gamble, and 3M Company.  Bryan earned his bachelor's degree in Chemical Engineering from Cornell University. In this episode of Food Safety Matters, we speak to Bryan [26:44] about: The birth of GFTC and how it was made possible with the help of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration What traceability and communication should look like within the food supply chain Proactive steps food companies can take to improve their supply chain transparency and traceability How social media plays a role in communicating recalls and other issues GFTC's multi-year partnership project with FDA Why the Center has placed so much focus on researching the seafood industry and supply chain Four key data elements uncovered in research GFTC's role in providing feedback to FDA The need for more training at all levels of the food supply chain Ways to digitize the food supply chain Date labeling Artificial intelligence and how it's been applied in agricultural farming Resources: Pilot Projects for Improving Product Tracing along the Food Supply System - Final Report  World Food Safety Day - World Health Organization  World Food Safety Day - Codex Alimentarius We also speak with Laura Allred (Gluten Intolerance Group [GIG]) [9:25] about: The history of GIG Partnering with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to establish a certification program Their work in certifying products as gluten-free, not facilities Unexpected sources of gluten How wheat gets all the attention when it comes to gluten Why there's such an increasing demand for gluten-free products The reason behind GIG's recent certification mark/label update Best practices for gluten-free manufacturers The benefits of gluten-free certification via GIG Why focusing on wheat as an allergen can be problematic Upcoming research and surveys News Mentioned in This Episode $19M in Fines for Blue Bell; Former President Also Charged with Concealing Listeria Contamination [3:14] Foodborne Illness is on the Rise, Says CDC [7:43]  Keep Up with Food Safety Magazine Follow Us on Twitter @FoodSafetyMag and on Facebook  Subscribe to our magazine and our biweekly eNewsletter We Want to Hear From You! Please share your comments, questions, and suggestions. Tell us about yourself—we'd love to hear about your food safety challenges and successes. We want to get to know you! Here are a few ways to be in touch with us. Email us at podcast@foodsafetymagazine.com Record a voice memo on your phone and email it to us at podcast@foodsafetymagazine.com