Food Safety Matters

Joe Stout, R.S. is a leader in quality and sanitation with over 40 years of experience in the industry. He founded Commercial Food Sanitation (CFS) in 2010, which provides strategic consulting, training, and solutions to address food safety, hygienic design, and sanitation challenges for food processing plants worldwide. Previously, Mr. Stout spent 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. While at Kraft, Mr. Stout 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. He also managed the Global Product Protection group, assuring global support for internal and external plants. Mr. Stout led the American Meat Institute's (AMI's) Equipment Design Task Force and has partnered

Dr. Guangtao Zhang, Ph.D., is the Director of the Mars Global Food Safety Center (GFSC), where he leads an international team of experts who are driving progress in several areas of food safety, including mycotoxin risk management, microbial risk management, and food integrity. Dr. Zhang has contributed to over 40 peer-reviewed publications and five patents that are advancing capabilities in food safety science and application. He has also shared insights at several international conferences in a range of key areas in food safety research. Prior to his time at GFSC, Dr. Zhang held a postdoctoral fellowship at Cornell University and developed therapeutics for breast cancer as a faculty member at Mount Sinai’s Ichan School of Medicine. In this episode of Food Safety Matters, we speak with Dr. Zhang [18:10] about: The rise of food safety and quality hazards around the world, and how the Mars Global Food Safety Center aims to tackle such challenges by generating new insights, driving technology innovations, and

Hilarie Warren, M.P.H., C.I.H., manages the OSHA Training Institute (OTI) Education Center at Georgia Tech, one of the first OTI Education Centers in the national network of occupational safety and health training organizations authorized by OSHA. Jenny Houlroyd, M.S.P.H., C.I.H., has worked as an industrial hygienist with the OSHA Consultation Program for 16 years, providing onsite OSHA compliance assistance for businesses throughout the state of Georgia. She serves as the Manager of the Occupational Health Group for that program. Wendy White, M.Sc., is the Food and Beverage Industry Manager for the Georgia Manufacturing Extension Partnership (GaMEP) at Georgia Tech. She leads GaMEP's food industry services, which include regulatory compliance, HACCP food safety plans, and third-party audit certification preparation. Ms. White holds a B.S. degree in Biology and an M.Sc. degree in Food Microbiology from the University of Georgia and is an FSPCA PCQI Human Foods Lead Instructor, an International HACCP Alliance

Kathy Gombas is a recognized food safety expert with over 30 years of experience in the food industry—specializing in preventive controls, supply chain management, food safety auditing, and regulatory affairs.  Kathy is the founder of FSMA Solutions, a consulting group that provides food safety solutions to the food industry. She works with large food companies in conducting corporate food safety system gap assessments to identify vulnerabilities and assists small- to medium-sized businesses in developing food safety plans and supporting programs. Kathy retired from FDA after ten years of service. She was a Senior Advisor at FDA's Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition (CFSAN). While at CFSAN, Kathy was in a leadership role supporting FDA's Food Safety Modernization Act implementation efforts, including the Preventive Controls Regulator Training and launch of FDA's FSMA Technical Assistance Network for industry. Kathy also led the implementation of FDA's Reportable Food Registry.  Before joining FDA, Ka

Jeff Hahn, Principal at Hahn Marketing & Communications, is a crisis communications expert with 30 years of experience in communications and public relations. He is a specialist in the food and energy sectors and is the owner of a family of integrated agency brands including Apron Food & Beverage Communications, Hahn Public Communications, the Predictive Media Network, and White Lion Interactive. He also served in the U.S. Air Force, where he completed his associate degree in administration, and then graduated with a bachelor’s degree in political science from The University of Texas at San Antonio. He is formally trained in persuasion communication and holds a master’s degree in communication studies from Texas State University. In this episode of Food Safety Matters, we speak with Jeff [19:39] about: Demystifying crisis communications Twelve essential communication tools for food companies Three types of crises: emergencies, safety issues, and reputation issues The five stages of a crisis that comp

Shawn Stevens is the founding member of Food Industry Counsel, the only law firm in the world that represents the food industry exclusively. As a food industry consultant and lawyer, Mr. Stevens works throughout the U.S. and abroad with food industry clients—including the world’s largest growers, processors, restaurant chains, distributors, and grocers—helping them protect their brands by reducing food safety risks, complying with FDA and USDA food safety regulations, managing recalls and defending high-profile foodborne illness claims. Mr. Stevens also speaks regularly to audiences on a wide variety of emerging scientific, regulatory, and food safety legal trends, authors columns for food industry publications, and is quoted regularly by national media publications such as TIME Magazine and Corporate Counsel. In this episode of Food Safety Matters, we speak to Mr. Stevens [18:20] about: Recent recall trends related to the impacts of COVID-19 Using data from the Food Recall Reporter online tracking tool to

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,

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 Instit

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

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 Admini

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

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

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

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

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 pre

Lone Jespersen is a 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 lead the execution of the Maple Leaf Foods, food safety strategy and its operations learning strategy. Lone is a member of the Food Safety Magazine Editorial Advisory Board. Lone holds a Master's degree in mechanical engineering from Syd Dansk University, Denmark, a Masters and Ph.D., in food science from the University of Guelph, Canada. Dr. Jonathan Walsh is the technical applications leader for Europe, Middle East and Asia at 3M Food Safety, based in the U.K. Jonathan obtained his Ph.D. in Chromogenic media microbiology from the University of Manchester and has over 20 years working in the industry as a microbiologist. He began his car

Bonnie McClafferty is the Director of Food Safety at GAIN, the Global Alliance for Improved Nutrition, and Chief of Party for USAID’s EatSafe: Evidence and Action Towards Safety Nutritious Food. She has more than twenty years of experience working in agricultural research and development within the institutes that make up the Consultative Group on International Agricultural Research (CGIAR) under the World Bank. Bonnie joined GAIN from HarvestPlus, where for twelve years she headed up their office on Development and Communications.  In this episode of Food Safety Matters, we speak to Bonnie [25:18] about: Overview of the EatSafe Projects Traditional markets in the developing world The role of nutrition in the definition of safe food The wild west of food safety Empowering local communities to engage in food safety Why food safety is sidelined in public talks of health and nutrition The youth movement The power of communication The UN Food Systems Summit Emerging guidelines for safe food UN sustainability go

Nuno Soares is an author, consultant, and trainer in food safety with more than 21 years of background in the food industry as a food safety/quality and plant manager. He works exclusively to help food safety professionals achieve a more fulfilled career based on improving knowledge, improving competencies, and a growth mindset. He is also the founder of the initiative "The Why of Food Safety—I'm an SLO (Saving Lives Officer)" and he’s the author of several books and articles on food safety namely Food Safety in the Seafood Industry. In this episode of Food Safety Matters, we speak to Nuno [19:46] about: Being a Saving Lives Officer for food safety Find Your Why The role of human behavior in food safety culture How to use your passion and expertise to drive food safety Empowering food employees The SLO mindset Emotion, Reason, Psychological Safety, Efficient Communication Lean HACCP The importance of continuous improvement, learning, and training Combatting waste 5S: Sort, Set in Order, Shine, Standardize,

In this episode of Food Safety Matters, we have an interesting discussion with Bill Potter, Food Safety Technical Advisor, at Elanco Animal Health about a very important topic for the poultry industry—pre-harvest intervention strategies for poultry production. Bill Potter is a poultry industry veteran, who has spent 28 years solving food safety problems in the poultry industry. Currently, Bill is the Food Safety Technical Advisor at Elanco Animal Health where he helps clients optimize their pre-harvest and plant interventions. Previously, Bill held senior food safety roles at numerous poultry processors including, George’s, ConAgra Poultry, and Advance Food Company. He has served as Chairman of the National Chicken Council Technical and Regulatory Committee and is an active member of both the Arkansas Association of Food Protection and IAFP. Bill has an undergraduate degree in Animal Science and an MBA from Texas A&M University and a master’s and Ph.D. in Poultry Science from the University of Arkansas. I