Food Safety Matters

Oscar Garrison is the senior vice president of food safety regulatory affairs at United Egg Producers. Previously, he was the director of food safety with the Georgia Department of Agriculture. As a past president of the Association of Food and Drug Officials, Oscar led the national organization's efforts to promote an integrated food safety system by working with federal, state, and local regulatory agencies and industry. Oscar earned his B.Sc. in Forensic Science and Technology from Jacksonville State University. In this episode of Food Safety Matters, we speak to Oscar [20:25] about: How his background in forensic science led him to an unexpected career in food safety The most challenging aspects of being a state regulator How state regulatory bodies work with federal and local agencies to investigate foodborne illness outbreaks Why having specialized staff and maintaining those staff members are crucial at the state regulatory level How state regulators can help educate small and independent producers Inspection changes implemented in Georgia after the Peanut Corporation of America case His thoughts on data related to recent research on Salmonella and eggs Common questions and misconceptions about eggs and egg safety Whether or not a single food safety agency is a good idea Creative ways to use digital technology to ensure that state regulators can do their jobs Social media and regulators' responsibility to educate the public on food safety matters Whole-genome sequencing Oscar Garrison's Articles in Food Safety Magazine A Closer Look at Egg Safety  Evolution of a State Food Safety Program Bob Ferguson's Food Safety Insights [15:24] Bob joins us to discuss his article featured in our August/September 2019 issue: The FSMA Intentional Adulteration Rule Is Here: Are Processors Ready? Want more from Bob Ferguson? Find more of his articles and podcast segments. News Mentioned in This Episode Spain's Largest-Ever Listeria Outbreak [5:42] Listeria Outbreak Has No Known Source in U.S.; Likely Source in Canada [8:56] FDA Reminds Industry of Best Practices in Response to Food Tampering in Retail Grocery Stores [10:45]  Sponsor: Sterilex Dry Floor Application Guide  Egg Grading Sanitation 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 you 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. Laura Gieraltowski leads the Foodborne Outbreak Response Team in the Outbreak Response and Prevention Branch at the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) in Atlanta, GA. She leads the team that helps coordinate the national network of epidemiologists and other public health officials who investigate outbreaks of foodborne and other enteric illnesses. ​Laura is a graduate of CDC's Epidemic Intelligence Service Program. She received a Ph.D. in epidemiology from the University of Pittsburgh Graduate School of Public Health and has a Masters of Public Health degree in behavioral health sciences from Emory University Rollins School of Public Health. She has worked at the CDC since 2009 and has been involved in numerous multistate outbreak investigations leading to the identification and recall of food products. In this episode of Food Safety Matters, we speak to Laura [14:39] about: CDC's role in foodborne outbreak investigations How CDC works with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration and the U.S. Department of Agriculture Pulsed-field gel electrophoresis vs. whole-genome sequencing, and why the former is no longer the standard method for DNA fingerprinting when investigating a foodborne outbreak How outbreak investigations become more or less complicated depending on what type of food product is involved Changes and advancements coming to food safety within the next 5–10 years News Mentioned in This Episode FDA Issues First Foreign Supplier Verification Program Warning [1:35] FDA Tests Romaine Lettuce in Yuma Growing Region for Pathogens [3:56] USDA to Consumers: Do Not Wash Raw Poultry [7:55] 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 you 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

Theodora Morille-Hinds is the vice president of global quality food safety for The Kellogg Company. She is also the 2019 recipient of Food Safety Magazine's Distinguished Service Award. Stacey Popham is the head of food safety and quality for the Americas region of Barry Callebaut. Dr. Mindy Brashears is the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Deputy Under Secretary for Food Safety. Tim Stubbs is the vice president of product research and food safety for the Innovation Center for U.S. Dairy. In this episode of Food Safety Matters, we speak to Theo [13:18] about: The greatest day-to-day challenges in her current role at Kellogg Partnerships with Michigan State University, University of Georgia, and more Celebrating women and girls in science How she unexpectedly got into food science Advice to young women who may be thinking about a science-related career We speak to Stacey [27:59] about: The first-ever World Food Safety Day and how it prompted Barry Callebaut to initiate monthly Food Safety Friday meetings within the organizations. We speak to Tim [38:48] about: Dairy-related research discussed during IAFP sessions We speak to Mindy [44:55] about: Upcoming modernization of poultry and swine systems The science-based data and programs that have prompted new initiatives Consumer education resources safe food handling Goals for new Campylobacter performance standards New testing for Shiga toxin-producing E. coli​ besides O157:H7 Partnering with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration on cell-based meat regulations News Mentioned in This Episode Employee Discovery Prompts Cookie Dough Recall Sponsor  MSU's Online Food Safety Program - Educating Food Safety Leaders MSU's Online Food Safety Program - Curriculum, admissions, fees, and more 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 you 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

Cindy Jiang is senior director, Global Food and Packaging Safety, Global Supply Chain & Sustainability, for McDonald's Corporation. Her responsibilities include leading global supplier quality management systems and programs, establishing science-based food safety standards and policies, managing food-related emerging issues, and providing guidance on nutrition information, accuracy, and consistency. She has been the lead for the McDonald's Food Safety Advisory Council since 2002, a forum for sharing food safety knowledge and best practices among leading suppliers and external experts. Cindy has been actively involved with industry and government collaboration on food safety. She has served on the Global Food Safety Initiative (GFSI) Board since 2008 and is currently a member of the Board of Advisors at the Center for Food Safety at the University of Georgia and Shanghai Jiao Tong University. Cindy began her career with the McDonald's Corporation after receiving a M.Sc. in food science and nutrition from the University of Wisconsin in 1990. She has held various positions at McDonald's Corporation, from a chemist to a quality assurance consultant, a senior quality assurance manager, and a director of food safety. Cindy has been actively engaged in leading the effort on harmonization of food safety standards by working with the food suppliers and the foodservice industry since early 2007. She is a senior member of the American Society for Quality and has been a member of Institute of Food Technologists since 1989. She is also a current member of the International Association of Food Protection and AOAC International. In this episode of Food Safety Matters, we speak to Cindy [19:43] about: The importance of meetings, team building activities, and volunteering in an effort to keep food safe The collaborative process McDonald's follows when new equipment needs to be developed McDonalds' approach to new employee training What regulators are looking for when they visit a foodservice establishment Understanding why collaboration is necessary and valuable Why food safety is not an area of competition McDonalds' three-leg stool system How McDonald's communicates with its many suppliers How McDonald's suppliers are required to have at least one GFSI benchmark certification Why there are so many benchmarked schemes, and why having a consolidated benchmarked scheme isn't feasible Government-to-government and government-to-business meetings Food safety culture Why every business within the food sector should be ready for an unannounced visit 24/7 McDonald's and World Food Safety Day The ongoing challenge of meeting consumers' ever-changing expectations Technology, predictive analytics, and using data to predict potential foodborne illnesses and outbreaks How McDonald's has been delivering food in other countries years before it became a trend in the U.S. The importance of mastering soft skills, communication, and networking even in a science-based field News Mentioned in This Episode EFSA Identifies Three Food Safety Priorities for the Next 5–10 Years; Codex Agrees to Tackle E. coli in Certain Foods  [3:57] Researchers Dissect 17 Years of Salmonella Outbreaks [8:51] Viral Story: The Blue Bell Ice Cream Licker [11:12]   Sponsor  MSU's Online Food Safety Program - Educating Food Safety Leaders MSU's Online Food Safety Program - Curriculum, admissions, fees, and more 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 you 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

Joan Menke-Schaenzer is the chief quality officer at Van Drunen Farms and FutureCeuticals. There, she is responsible for the safety and quality of the company's vegetable and herb growing and processing plants—both conventional and organic—as well as their nutraceutical ingredient business.  Joan's career has also included food safety and quality roles in manufacturing, foodservice, and retail. She's led McDonalds' global supply chain, safety, and compliance organization. She spearheaded food safety and quality at ConAgra, Walmart, and Kraft as well. Joan served on the U.S. Food and Drug Administration's Food Advisory Committee and the U.S. Centers for Disease Control's Board of Scientific Counselors Food Safety Modernization Act Implementation Working Group. Joan earned her B.Sc. in food science from the University of Wisconsin—Madison.   In this episode of Food Safety Matters, we speak to Joan [17:09] about: Challenges she's experienced across the supply chain at various levels of the food industry The importance of communication and soft skills in food safety How creative thinking can advance food safety success Her involvement in past foodborne outbreaks and how being proactive was the best decision for public health Issuing a recall even before a clear root cause was confirmed Gaining support from employers when it comes to joining industry and trade associations Why it's imperative to have existing relationships with regulators before a crisis occurs The benefits of epidemiological traceback and it can help in the event of an outbreak Proactively managing supply chains with GFSI audits Consumer research and combining that with risk assessment The benefits of partnering with suppliers How she used whole-genome sequencing to pinpoint the source of a growth niche Her views on blockchain and how it may not be the answer at all levels of the food supply chain How becoming responsible for profit and loss changed how she approached food safety decision-making Why it's important to build a support network throughout your career News Mentioned in This Episode Study: Here's Why Consumers Don't Use Thermometers When They Cook [2:36] Updated Tomato Metrics [6:23]  Push for a Single Federal Food Safety Agency [9:54]  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 you 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. Robert (Bob) Powitz is the principal and technical director of R.W.Powitz & Associates. There, he specializes in forensic sanitation services to industry, law firms, insurance companies, and government agencies. Bob has dedicated his career to food safety having worked for over 54 years to study, develop, and implement the most effective sanitation practices. Bob has served as director of environmental health and safety and biological safety officer at Wayne State University where he also held the title of Adjunct Associate Professor in the College of Engineering. He also served as director of biological safety and environment for the U.S. Department of Agriculture as well as health director for five different towns in Connecticut.  He is currently the public health consultant for the Bucks County, PA, Department of Corrections. Bob received his undergraduate education in agronomy and plant pathology from the State University of New York and the University of Georgia. He holds a M.Sc. in Public Health with a specialty in institutional environmental health and a Ph.D. in environmental health, with specialties in environmental microbiology and epidemiology from the University of Minnesota School of Public Health. He also has a very long list of honors including, most impressively, a spot on the Food Safety Magazine Editorial Advisory Board. Subscribe on Apple Podcasts | Stitcher | Google Play | Android Insert Libsyn player In this episode of Food Safety Matters, we speak to Bob [35:25] about: The overuse of chemicals and sanitizers and why relying too much on them is a problem Faulty ventilation systems, condensation, and leaks—how these problems can lead to the active growth of biofilm His plan of action when he sees chemicals being used incorrectly in a food plant Integrated cleaning and measurement New clean-in-place methods, steam, dry ice, carbon dioxide, hydrogen peroxide, and other green ways to clean Why the regulatory community needs to buy into green cleaning methods Assessing a cleaning and sanitizing methodologies Why more cleaning products need to be evaluated to a standard like NSF International Innovating cleaning technologies that have originated in Europe, the Pacific Rim, and elsewhere. An example of a time he could not find the source of confirmed Listeria contamination in a ready-to-eat processing facility His advice to future sanitarians Bob Powitz's Articles in Food Safety Magazine Checking Field Thermometer Accuracy  Chemical-Free Cleaning: Revisited  Non-EPA Registered Cleaners and Sanitizers for Use in Food Production Facilities and Retail Food Establishments Want more from Bob Powitz? Find more of his articles on Food Safety Magazine. Bob Ferguson's Food Safety Insights [25:19] Bob joins us to discuss FDA's comments regarding survey results that appeared in the April/May article: What Industry and FDA are Thinking about FSMA Implementation—Part II Want more from Bob Ferguson? Find more of his articles and podcast segments. ​News Mentioned in This Episode VIDEO: Burger King Employee Caught Cleaning Table with Floor Mop [4:50] FDA Holds First-Ever Public Hearing on Regulating CBD Products ​[9:41] Kroger and Costco Frozen Berries Recalled a Month After FDA Announces Surprise Testing [21:28] 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 you 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. Robert (Bob) Powitz is the principal and technical director of R.W.Powitz & Associates. There, he specializes in forensic sanitation services to industry, law firms, insurance companies, and government agencies. Bob has dedicated his career to food safety having worked for over 54 years to study, develop, and implement the most effective sanitation practices. Bob has served as director of environmental health and safety and biological safety officer at Wayne State University where he also held the title of Adjunct Associate Professor in the College of Engineering. He also served as director of biological safety and environment for the U.S. Department of Agriculture as well as health director for five different towns in Connecticut.  He is currently the public health consultant for the Bucks County, PA, Department of Corrections. Bob received his undergraduate education in agronomy and plant pathology from the State University of New York and the University of Georgia. He holds a M.Sc. in Public Health with a specialty in institutional environmental health and a Ph.D. in environmental health, with specialties in environmental microbiology and epidemiology from the University of Minnesota School of Public Health. He also has a very long list of honors including, most impressively, a spot on the Food Safety Magazine Editorial Advisory Board. In this episode of Food Safety Matters, we speak to Bob [15:12] about: What keeps him so heavily involved in food safety and sanitation Why it's so crucial to acknowledge and reward good methods and habits when you see them Why commercial food establishments don't necessarily follow state food codes I-D-E-A in sanitation Bob Powitz's Articles in Food Safety Magazine Checking Field Thermometer Accuracy  Chemical-Free Cleaning: Revisited  Non-EPA Registered Cleaners and Sanitizers for Use in Food Production Facilities and Retail Food Establishments Want more from Bob Powitz? Find more of his articles on Food Safety Magazine. News Mentioned in This Episode FDA: Most Date Labels Are Not Based on Exact Science[8:32] Theo Morille-Hinds to Receive Food Safety Magazine's Distinguished Service Award ​[11:20] 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 you 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 Jerry Heath (staff entomologist) and Sharon Dobush (director of technical services) from the Industrial Fumigant Company (IFC) about how to set up and utilize a pest management program that is compliant with the Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA) and that also works well with a food processor's existing Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points or Hazard Analysis and Risk-Based Preventive Controls plan. In this BONUS episode of Food Safety Matters, we speak to IFC about: FSMA's impact on how pest management fits into a company's overall food safety plan The main challenge that pest management clients want to address and learn more about Changes in how auditors now approach their inspection methods with new regulations in place Steps that a food company will need to take in order to implement or overhaul their pest program Mapping tools and how they help companies to better pinpoint the cause and/or source of an infestation How the trend of going chemical-free is changing the pest management industry Action thresholds and how they cannot be one-size-fits-all Asking the right questions when a sudden infestation or unfamiliar insect/rodent species appears Critical advice about keeping pristine records and documentation How technology is already changing the future of pest management Professional certification and other ways to get into the pest management field Resources IFC Resource Page  Whitepaper: Implications of FSMA on Pest Management Programs Presenting Sponsor

Jeff Farber is the director of the Canadian Research Institute for Food Safety and head of the University of Guelph's Food Safety and Quality Assurance M.Sc. program.  Farber's most well-known work is a 1991 review paper on Listeria monocytogenes. He's also authored an estimated 50 other papers on Listeria research and risk assessment. Farber worked at Health Canada for a number of years as a research scientist, research division chief, associate director, and director of microbial food safety. His research interests at Health Canada centered around mycotoxins, Listeria monocytogenes, and Cronobacter sakazakii. He also played a large role in developing many of the food safety policies that are currently in place in Health Canada. Jeff is the former President of the International Association of Food Protection. He also serves on the International Commission on Microbiological Specifications for Foods, the New York Academy of Sciences Committee on Food Safety, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration's External Advisory Committee for the Microbial Safety of Foods, and the Canadian Food Inspection Agency's Advisory Board for Risk-based Inspections.  He earned his Ph.D. in Food Microbiology from McGill University.  In this episode of Food Safety Matters, we speak to Jeff [24:08] about: How his studies evolved from mycotoxin research to Listeria Educating consumers—particularly high-risk populations—about unsafe eating practices All of the factors—including family dynamics and consumer trends—that contribute to today's frequent Listeria outbreaks, and foodborne illness outbreaks in general Figuring out how to use big data to improve risk assessments Why fresh produce and other food groups experience more food safety issues now compared to previous years How free trade agreements affect food safety in Canada Global warming and its emergence as a serious danger to food safety Animals and food products that have been increasingly associated with Hepatitis E The online grocery sector—including a new food delivery innovation introduced by Amazon—and how gaps in how its regulated could mean more food safety risks The process of producing lab-grown meat, and the need for proper hazard analysis in this new arena Challenging University of Guelph students to brainstorm solutions to emerging food safety issues Related Content  Listeria monocytogenes, A Foodborne Pathogen (1991) News Mentioned in This Episode Tyson Sues USDA FSIS; 2016 Ante-mortem training document [9:54] USDA to Begin Testing for African Swine Fever [14:20]  Compost Potatoes | Jose Andres [16:35] 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 you 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

At the 21st annual Food Safety Summit in Rosemont, IL, editorial director Barbara VanRenterghem sat down with four food safety pros for real-time insight on the Summit sessions, topics, trends, and more. Craig Henry is a food safety consultant with Intro Inc. There, he specializes in U.S. food safety program development and review for federal regulatory compliance such as the Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA). He is a lead instructor for FSMA Preventive Control Qualified Individual training for human food. He also led the contracting team delivering technical content for FSMA human food guidance to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. Prior to this role, Craig's previous roles were with Decernis, Deloitte and Touche, the Grocery Manufacturers Association, Koch Foods, Foster Farms, and Cargill, among others.  Gary Ades is president of G&L Consulting Group LLC. He is also a member of the Editorial Advisory Board of Food Safety Magazine. Paul Kiecker is the Deputy Administrator for the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS)—a role he's held since May 2018. From August 2017 through January 2019, Kiecker was the agency's Acting Administrator. He initially joined FSIS in 1988 as a food inspector. ​Will Daniels is president of the produce division at IEH Laboratories and Consulting Group. In this role, Will is responsible for lab and consulting services for the produce industry. He's also held past roles at Fresh Integrity Group, Inc., Earthbound Farm, and as a consultant in the foodservice sector. Will is a sought-after speaker and has addressed key issues in food safety in the produce industry at meetings of the National Academy of Sciences, the National Restaurant Association, the Institute of Food Technologists and the International Association for Food Protection. He was named one of the food industry's top food safety leaders by Marler/Clark's Food Safety News in 2013. An active leader in the food industry, Will serves on a variety of boards and technical committees. In this episode of Food Safety Matters, we speak to Craig [9:15], Gary [20:18], Paul [36:05], and Will [47:31] about: Food Safety Summit's new format, Community Cafes, and the new focus on supply chain management content Recurring challenges for Summit attendees: keeping up with documentation, lack of resources, little commitment, incorrect reporting, and more The need for university extensions to bridge the gap with smaller food businesses Problems associated with incongruent messaging from the government agencies Why business and financial expertise are needed when making food safety decisions How changes within the industry are leading to food safety problems not seen in years Whole genome sequencing Blockchain technology News Mentioned in This Episode LGMA Releases New, Stricter Water Rules for Leafy Greens Growers [1:45] Foodborne Illness is on the Rise, Says CDC [2:26] Walmart Welcomes Sara Mortimore as New Food Safety Leader [2:58] CDC Tweets: Don't Wash Raw Chicken [3:25] Sponsor The 2019 Sani Awards No-Rinse Sanitizing Multi-Surface Spray  SaniProfessional.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 you 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