In this episode of Food Safety Matters, we discuss the top food safety stories of 2024 and their implications. We cover:

The Boar's Head Listeria Outbreak [6:24]

• USDA Announces Immediate Changes to Listeria Rule, Inspections for RTE Food Facilities
• Following Deadly Listeria Outbreak, USDA Launches Internal Investigation Into How it Handled Boar’s Head’s Unsanitary Production Facility
• Congress Members Question USDA About Failure to Prevent Fatal Boar’s Head Listeria Outbreak
• Boar’s Head to Face Criminal Investigation Over Listeria Outbreak as Tenth Death is Reported 
• Following Outbreak, Boar’s Head Forms Food Safety Council of Top Experts, Closes Facility, Discontinues Liverwurst
• Inspection Reports Show Mold, Insects, Meat Residues, and More at Boar’s Head Facility Responsible for Listeria Outbreak
• Boar’s Head RTE Deli Meats Recalled After Two Listeriosis Deaths
• It's Time to Reformulate Deli Meats to Reduce the Risk of Listeria monocytogenes—Feature story for Food Safety Magazine December ‘24/January ’25, by Kathleen Glass, Ph.D., Wendy Bedale, Ph.D., and Daniel Unruh, Ph.D.

The McDonald's/Taylor Farms E. coli Outbreak [18:53]

• FDA Closes Investigation of McDonald’s E. Coli Outbreak Without Tests Confirming Onions as Source
• McDonald’s E. coli Outbreak Grows to 104 Illnesses in 14 States; Testing Has Not Yet Found Outbreak Strain
• FDA Unable to Implicate Grower in E. coli Outbreak Linked to Taylor Farms Onions Served at McDonald's
• CDC Names Taylor Farms Onions as Cause of McDonald’s E. coli Outbreak; Patient Count Rises to 90
• Beef Ruled Out as Source of McDonald’s E. coli Outbreak, Quarter Pounders Return to Restaurants
• Major Chains Pull Onions Due to E. coli Concerns After Taylor Farms Confirmed as McDonald’s Supplier 
• At Least One Death Caused by E. coli Outbreak Linked to McDonald’s Quarter Pounders 
• Food Safety Five Ep. 1: Fatal E. coli Outbreak Linked to Onions on McDonald’s Quarter Pounders—Food Safety Five Newsreel video

Grimmway Farms E. coli Outbreak [32:31]

• Grimmway Farms Carrot E. coli Outbreak Closed; No Match Found in Environmental Samples
• Canada Recalls Carrots Implicated in Fatal E. coli Outbreak Affecting U.S.
• Death Reported in E. coli Outbreak Linked to Nationally Distributed Organic Carrots 

The Yu Shang Foods Listeria Outbreak [33:48]

• Another Infant Death Linked to Yu Shang Listeria Outbreak 
• Yu Shang Brand RTE Meats Cause Two-Year-Long Listeria Outbreak Resulting in Death of an Infant 

Food Safety Technology Developments [36:37]

• How Rapid Development of Technology Has Revolutionized Food Safety—Food Safety Magazine on-demand webinar
• How is the Revolution in Technology Changing Food Safety?—“Food Safety Insights” column for Food Safety Magazine June/July ’24, by Bob Ferguson
• How is the Revolution in Technology Changing Food Safety?—Part 2—“Food Safety Insights” column for Food Safety Magazine August/September ’24, by Bob Ferguson
• How is the Revolution in Technology Changing Food Safety?—Part 3—“Food Safety Insights” column for Food Safety Magazine December ‘24/January ’25, by Bob Ferguson 
• Listeria, Salmonella Represent 40 Percent of FDA Food and Beverage Recalls in Last 20 Years

FDA Human Foods Program Restructuring [42:39]

• FDA Budget Constraints Lead to International Information-Sharing for Chemical Safety Reviews
• FDA Human Foods Program Reveals Work Plans for 2025
• FDA Introduces Streamlined Complaint Process on First Day of New Human Foods Program
• FDA Outlines its Developing Systematic Post-Market Review Process for Chemicals in Food
• FDA Reorganization Officially Approved, Will be Implemented by October 1
• Food Safety Five Ep. 2: How Budget Constraints May Influence FDA Food Chemical Safety Work—Food Safety Five Newsreel video

Highly Pathogenic Avian Flu (HPAI) H5N1 and Dairy Foods [50:30]

• California Declares State of Emergency Over HPAI H5N1 Outbreak in Dairy Cows
• USDA Begins Five-Part National Milk Testing Strategy for HPAI H5N1
• As Outbreak Rages On, USDA to Begin Field Trials for HPAI H5N1 Vaccine in Cattle
• USDA-FSIS to Begin Routine Monitoring for HPAI in Dairy Cows Under National Residue Program
• FDA Publishes Dairy Food Safety Research Agenda for HPAI H5N1
• More Canadian Milk Testing, New Pasteurization Study Shows HPAI is Not Food Safety Risk
• USDA Finds HPAI in Muscle of Sick Dairy Cow; Study Shows Infectious Potential of Contaminated Raw Milk 
• USDA Experiments Show Cooking Beef Patties to “Well Done” Kills HPAI Virus
• USDA Testing Retail Ground Beef for HPAI H5N1; Maintains That U.S. Meat Supply is Safe
• FDA Testing Finds HPAI in Retail Milk Samples; Research Required to Determine Infectivity, Food Safety Risk
• USDA Now Requires HPAI Testing for Dairy Cattle, Mandatory Reporting

USDA's Salmonella Framework for Raw Poultry Products [57:35]

• USDA-FSIS to Hold Two Public Meetings on Salmonella Framework for Raw Poultry in December
• USDA-FSIS Extends Comment Period for Proposed Salmonella Regulatory Framework
• Study Supports USDA’s Serotype-Specific Regulatory Framework for Salmonella in Poultry
• USDA-FSIS Publishes Proposed Regulatory Framework for Salmonella in Raw Poultry 
• USDA-FSIS: Salmonella Officially an Adulterant in Breaded, Stuffed Raw Chicken Products at 1 CFU/g or Higher
• NACMCF Reports on Reducing Salmonella in Poultry, Advises FSIS on Proposed Regulatory Framework
• Esteban and Eskin: On the Frontlines of the Food Safety Fight Against Salmonella in Poultry—Food Safety Matters podcast

FSMA 204/Food Traceability Rule Compliance [1:04:09]

• Leading Food Industry Associations Join Forces to Form FSMA 204 Collaboration 
• Public-Private, Sector-Neutral Partnership for Food Traceability Aims to Advance Industry Toward FSMA 204 Compliance 
• Report Highlights Industry Concerns With FSMA 204 Compliance, Barriers to Implementation
• World’s Largest Food Distributor Sysco Unveils its FSMA 204 Traceability Plan
• Kroger’s Traceability Policy Goes Beyond FSMA 204 by Including All Foods
• FDA Updates Human Foods Priorities; Releases FSMA 204, Foodservice Employee Health Resources
• Second Bill Introduced to Weaken FSMA 204; Safe Food Coalition Voices Opposition 
• Legislation Would Delay FSMA 204 Compliance Date, Ease Retailer Recordkeeping Requirements
• FSS '24: Regulatory, Industry Experts Share Best Practices Around FSMA 204 and Traceability Efforts
• Ep. 179. Dr. Takashi Nakamura: Ensuring Fresh Produce Safety From Field to Fork—Food Safety Matters Podcast 
• Better Food Traceability Can't Wait—Editorial piece by Frank Yiannas

Legislation Targeting Food Additives and “Generally Recognized as Safe” (GRAS) Substances [1:13:13]

• FDA Could Decide Whether to Ban Red Dye 3 in Food ‘In the Next Few Weeks,’ Officials Reveal in Senate Hearing 
• Congress Members Urge FDA to Ban Red Dye 3 in Food 
• FDA Budget Constraints Lead to International Information-Sharing for Chemical Safety Reviews 
• FDA Outlines its Developing Systematic Post-Market Review Process for Chemicals in Food
• BVO No Longer Authorized for Food Use by FDA
• The Evolving Landscape of Food Additives Regulation in the U.S., from the States to FDA
• California Bill Banning Some Artificial Colors in School Foods Advances, Awaits Signature Into Law 
• FDA Reviewing Safety of Food Chemicals of Concern, Like PFAS, BPA, Red Dye 3, and More 
• FDA Files Petitions to Rescind Approvals for Four Carcinogenic Food, Color Additives 
• ‘Toxic Free Food Act’ Would Close FDA GRAS ‘Loophole’ Allowing Potentially Toxic Additives in Food 
• Illinois Food Safety Act Banning Four Food Additives Passes State Senate, Amended to Include Manufacturers
• Pennsylvania is Latest State to Introduce Food Additives Legislation, While Kentucky Urges FDA to Take Control
• Missouri, Washington Introduce Bills to Ban Same Food Additives as California Food Safety Act

Another Bill Introduced in New York to Expand State Regulation of Food Additives

• ‘Safe School Meals Act’ Addresses Pesticides, PFAS, Food Dyes, and More in School Lunches
• Food Safety Five Ep. 2: How Budget Constraints May Influence FDA Food Chemical Safety Work—Food Safety Five Newsreel video 
• Ep. 162. Brian Sylvester: How the California Food Safety Act is Shaping U.S. Food Additives Regulation—Food Safety Matters Podcast

Environmental and Chemical Contaminants [1:24:42]

• FDA Defends Revoking Authorizations for Most Phthalates; Remaining Uses Under Review
• High Levels of Toxic Plasticizers Phthalates, Bisphenols Found in Nearly All Foods in U.S. 
• EU Considering Bisphenol Ban in Food Packaging Based on Nontraditional Risk Assessment; Scientists Show Support 
• EU Moves Closer to Possible Ban on BPA in Food Contact Materials 
• USDA Testing for 2023 Shows 99 Percent of Foods Do Not Exceed Pesticide Residue Tolerances 
• EFSA: Pesticide Residues Below Legal Limits in More Than 96 Percent of EU Food Samples
• EPA Immediately Suspends Use of Herbicide Dacthal With Emergency Order
• EPA Cancels Agricultural Use of Harmful Pesticide Acephate 
• Pesticide Chlormequat is Being Detected More Frequently in Humans, EPA Poised to Allow its Use on Food Crops
• California Assembly Passes Bill Expediting Review of Herbicide Paraquat
• Center for Food Safety Petitions EPA to Ban PFAS in Pesticides, Pesticide Containers
• EWG Publishes 2024 Dirty Dozen List of Produce Most Contaminated With Pesticides 
• Kraft Heinz Voluntarily Pulls Lunchables from School Lunch Program Following Consumer Reports Petition 
• Baby Food Safety Act Would Give FDA Authority to Limit Toxic Heavy Metals in Food for Children 
• Maryland Introduces Bill to Require Toxic Heavy Metals Testing for Baby Foods, Disclosure of Results
• Recall Rethink: Food Recall Vulnerabilities Exposed by the Cinnamon Applesauce Incident—Cover story for Food Safety Magazine August/September ’24, by Steven Mandernach, J.D. and Carrie Rigdon, Ph.D.

We Want to Hear from You! Please send us your questions and suggestions to [email protected]

Justyce Jedlicka serves as the Food and Beverage Regulatory Liaison in North America for MilliporeSigma, where she is responsible for engaging with influencers in the food and beverage industry to align initiatives with regulatory compliance and promote best practices for food safety and quality testing methods. Justyce has been serving the food and beverage industry since 2013, and received both a B.S. degree in Chemistry and an M.B.A. degree from the University of Missouri in St. Louis. She currently serves as the Food Sciences Section Chair and Executive Board Member of the American Council of Independent Labs, and is a member of the International Association for Food Protection (IAFP), the International Society of Beverage Technologists (ISBT), and AOAC International.

Sally Powell Price is MilliporeSigma's Regulatory and Public Health Expert for Food and Beverage Safety Testing in North America. Previously, she served as Director of Lab Operations at a biotech startup in Boston and was the Food Lab Supervisor at the New York City Department of Health Public Health Laboratory. She holds a B.S. degree in Biology from Hamilton College, an M.S. degree in Microbiology and Immunology from James Cook University in Australia, and did continuing coursework in public health and foodborne disease at Harvard TH Chan School of Public Health. She is a member of the Association of Food and Drug Officials (AFDO), the Association of Public Health Laboratories (APHL), the International Association for Food Protection (IAFP), and AOAC International.

In this episode of Food Safety Matters, we speak with Justyce and Sally [2:41] about:

• Reasons why Escherichia coli and Shiga toxin-producing E. coli (STEC) are pathogens of particular concern for the food industry
• Existing food safety regulations to protect consumers from infections caused by E. coli
• MilliporeSigma solutions for STEC testing
• The future of STEC testing for food safety
• Resources that listeners can access to learn more about how the food supply is protected from E. coli contamination.

Resources

E. coli Detection for Food Safety

Sponsored by:

MilliporeSigma

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Thomas Gremillion, J.D., M.A. is the Director of Food Policy at the Consumer Federation of America (CFA). He oversees research, analysis, advocacy, and media outreach for the group's food policy activities, and monitors food safety activities at the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), and in Congress, where he advocates for strong food safety protections for consumers. He also coordinates the Safe Food Coalition, a group of consumer, trade union, and foodborne illness victim organizations dedicated to reducing foodborne illness by improving government food inspection programs.

Prior to joining CFA in 2015, Gremillion practiced environmental law at Georgetown University Law Center's Institute for Public Representation. He also served as an associate attorney at the Southern Environmental Law Center in Chapel Hill, North Carolina. A graduate of Harvard Law School, Gremillion is a member of the D.C. and North Carolina bars. He also holds an M.A. degree in International Relations from Andina Simón Bolívar University in Ecuador.

In this episode of Food Safety Matters, we speak with Thomas [22:27] about:

• Initiatives and advocacy work by CFA and its Safe Food Coalition to improve national food safety and protect consumers from foodborne illness
• The pros and cons of the structure of FDA’s reorganized Human Foods Program
• Concerns about efforts to delay or weaken FDA's Food Traceability Final Rule and industry's ability to comply by the January 2026 deadline
• Questions raised about federal oversight of food inspections following the high-profile Listeria outbreak linked to Boar’s Head deli meats
• The need for standardized pathogen testing protocols for facilities that process raw and ready-to-eat (RTE) foods
• CFA's perspectives on USDA's proposed framework for reducing Salmonella in poultry products
• The implications of the Supreme Court's recent overturning of the 1984 Chevron ruling for the food industry, and regulatory agencies' ability to protect public health.

News and Resources

News

Congress Members Urge FDA to Ban Red Dye 3 in Food [3:10]Policies on Antibiotics in Meat: Many Top Restaurants Receive Failing Grades, Only One Gets A+ [6:23]Poor Hygienic Design, Difficulty Communicating Risks are Barriers to Low-Moisture Food Safety, Study Shows [15:20]EU Expands Responsibility for Listeria Criteria in RTE Foods to Additional Food Business Operators [19:05]

Resources

“New Technology Applications in the Fight Against Foodborne AMR”—Editor’s Note, Food Safety Magazine December ‘24/January ‘25 Facilities Focus: Food Safety Factors to Consider in Hygienic Design and Infrastructure (Webinar On-Demand)

We Want to Hear from You! Please send us your questions and suggestions to [email protected]

Paul Shapiro is the author of the bestselling book, Clean Meat: How Growing Meat Without Animals Will Revolutionize Dinner and the World. He is also CEO of The Better Meat Co., a company that uses fermentation to turn microbes into alternative meat. Paul is a five-time TEDx speaker, the host of the Business for Good Podcast, and a long-time leader in food sustainability.

As an authority on food and agriculture sustainability, Paul has been interviewed by numeorous news outlets—ranging from CNN to StarTalk Radio with Neil deGrasse Tyson. He has also published hundreds of articles in publications like the Washington Post, Scientific American, FORTUNE, and academic journals. In 2023, Paul was named as a Most Admired CEO by the Sacramento Business Journal.

In this episode of Food Safety Matters, we speak with Paul [23:58] about:

• The case for novel alternative proteins—including plant-based meats, cell-cultured meats, and mycoproteins—as sustainable solutions to meeting increasing global protein demand while reducing the environmental impact of traditional animal agriculture
• The Better Meat Co.’s focus on mycoproteins and the advantages they offer in terms of scalability and texture
• How the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) oversees cell-based meat products, and the current regulatory status of cell-cultured proteins in the U.S.
• The microbial food safety advantages of cell-cultured meat over traditional meat products
• State-level legislative attempts to restrict the sale of cell-based meat, driven by efforts to protect the traditional meat industry; and whether the alternative protein and traditional protein industries can coexist
• The likelihood of American consumers becoming more interested in cell-based meats and how their apprehensions might be addressed
• Nutritional benefits of plant-based meat alternatives not offered by traditional meat products.

News and Resources

McDonald’s and Taylor Farms E. coli Outbreak [4:05]

• McDonald's E. coli Outbreak Grows to 104 Illnesses in 14 States; Testing Has Not Yet Found Outbreak Strain
• FDA Unable to Implicate Grower in E. coli Outbreak Linked to Taylor Farms Onions Served at McDonald's

EPA Approves First Antimicrobial Treatment of Foodborne Pathogens in Preharvest Agricultural Water [11:11]

Study Shows Impact of WGS on Foodborne Illness Outbreak Detection in Canada [13:28]

FDA Publishes Supplement to 2022 Food Code [20:29]

USDA’s Regulatory Framework for Salmonella in Raw Poultry [21:29]

• USDA-FSIS to Hold Two Public Meetings on Salmonella Framework for Raw Poultry in December
• Esteban and Eskin: On the Frontlines of the Food Safety Fight Against Salmonella in Poultry

We Want to Hear from You! Please send us your questions and suggestions to [email protected]

Johanna Velez is Vice President of Quality Assurance for Monin Americas, having joined the brand in 2002. With more than 27 years in the food industry, Johanna has a wealth of experience in leading, directing, and guiding the company’s food safety and quality programs at all Monin North America locations. She successfully led Monin to achieve Safe Quality Foods (SQF) and Organic certifications for both the Clearwater, Florida and Sparks, Nevada facilities, resulting in an "Excellent" rating for the brand’s food safety practices. Prior to Monin, Johanna spent five years at Wild Flavors (now Archer-Daniels-Midland Company) in Cincinnati, Ohio. She is a member of the Institute of Food Technologists (IFT), including the Florida IFT Division, as well as the Bay Area Manufacturers Association (BAMA). Johanna graduated from Louisiana State University and later attended Michigan State University to obtain her certification in Food Law and Regulations.

In this episode of Food Safety Matters, we speak with Johanna [30:04] about:

• How her industry and academic experiences inform her work at Monin Americas, and important food safety and quality considerations of doing business as a global supplier
• Embracing technology and digitization to modernize quality control processes, such as using QR codes to track equipment maintenance history
• Implementing quarterly proficiency testing to ensure that employees' skills and knowledge stay up-to-date
• Utilizing a "blameless problem-solving" approach to address non-conformances, and bringing cross-functional teams together to identify root causes of issues and implement improvements
• How Monin Americas achieved an “Excellent” rating for its food safety practices, and the company’s processes for upholding its SQF and Organic certifications
• Reinforcing a culture of continuous improvement and collaboration at Monin Americas, where food safety is a core value shared by all employees
• Onboarding suppliers as "partners" and working closely with them to reinforce robust food safety standards and ensure implementation of best practices.

News and Resources

News

McDonald’s E. coli Outbreak [3:29]

• CDC Names Taylor Farms Onions as Cause of McDonald’s E. coli Outbreak; Patient Count Rises to 90
• Beef Ruled Out as Source of McDonald's E. coli Outbreak, Quarter Pounders Return to Restaurants
• Major Chains Pull Onions Due to E. coli Concerns After Taylor Farms Confirmed as McDonald's Supplier
• At Least One Death Caused by E. coli Outbreak Linked to McDonald's Quarter Pounders

FDA Human Foods Program Reveals Work Plans for 2025 [7:13]

Listeria, Salmonella Represent 40 Percent of FDA Food and Beverage Recalls in Last 20 Years [17:01]

Following Salmonella Outbreaks Linked to Indiana Cantaloupe, FDA and Purdue University Launch Environmental Study [19:10]

Resources

Food Safety Insights: “How is the Revolution in Technology Changing Food Safety?—Part 3” [20:01]

Food Safety Five Newsreel

Food Safety Magazine’s YouTube Channel

We Want to Hear from You! Please send us your questions and suggestions to [email protected]

Carolyn Ross, Ph.D., M.Sc. is a Professor in the School of Food Science at Washington State University (WSU), Affiliate Professor in the WSU School of Medicine, and Director of the WSU Sensory Science Center. Since starting at WSU in 2004, Dr. Ross has established her lab and the WSU Sensory Science Center as a hub for graduate student training in the areas of sensory science and analytical chemistry. Specifically, the overall objectives of Dr. Ross's research and graduate education program are to understand the theoretical basis underpinning the sensory perception of foods and wines and correlate these attributes with quantifiable characteristics. Dr. Ross has also expanded her research to explore food texture perception in children. She has thrice been awarded the Institute of Food Technologists' (IFT's) Tanner Award for most‐cited article in the Journal of Food Science (in the Sensory and Food Quality section). Dr. Ross was also awarded the WSU Faculty Excellence Award for Instruction and is a Fulbright-Australia Scholar at Deakin University in Melbourne. She holds a Ph.D. in Food Science/Environmental Toxicology from Michigan State University and an M.Sc. degree in Food Science from the University of Guelph.

In this episode of Food Safety Matters, we speak with Dr. Ross [24:22] about:

• Food safety and quality research underway at WSU's Sensory Science Center
• What e-tongue technology is, how it can be used for food safety and quality assessments, and the Sensory Science Center's work in this area
• The potential benefits of e-tongue technology to the food and beverage industry, and current commercial applications
• Other technologies that leverage sensory experience and show promise for food safety and quality assurance in different foods
• How Dr. Ross' work as a professor prepares students for food safety and quality assurance careers
• Dr. Ross' previous research regarding food texture perception in children with developmental delays, and its implications for the food and beverage industry at large.

News and Resources

FDA Outlines its Developing Systematic Post-Market Review Process for Chemicals in Food [2:44]California Passes First-of-its-Kind Legislation Standardizing 'Best By' Dates on Food; Bans 'Sell By' [8:50]Study: PCHF Compliance Costs Small and Midsized Food Businesses $22,000 in First Year Alone [14:07]EFSA Updates Guidance for Novel Food Applications [19:34]Scientists Develop Antibody With Detection, Treatment Potential for Foodborne Campylobacter [21:02]

We Want to Hear from You! Please send us your questions and suggestions to [email protected]

Lone Jespersen, Ph.D. is a published author, speaker, and the Principal and Founder of Cultivate SA, a Swiss-based organization dedicated to eradicating foodborne illness, one culture at a time. Dr. Jespersen has worked to strengthen food safety through organizational culture improvements for 20 years, since starting at Maple Leaf Foods in 2004. She chaired the Global Food Safety Initiative (GFSI) technical working group "A Culture of Food Safety," chaired the International Association of Food Protection (IAFP) professional development group "Food Safety Culture," and was the technical author on the BSI PAS320 Practical Guide to Food Safety Culture. Dr. Jespersen holds a Ph.D. in Culture Enabled Food Safety from the University of Guelph in Canada and a master's degree in Mechanical Engineering from Syd Dansk University in Denmark. She is also a visiting Professor at the University of Central Lancashire in the UK. Dr. Jespersen serves as Chair of the IFPTI Board and as Director on the STOP Foodborne Illness Board. She is also a member of the Editorial Advisory Board of Food Safety Magazine and a member of the Educational Advisory Board of the Food Safety Summit.

In this episode of Food Safety Matters, we speak with Dr. Jespersen [3:44] about:

• The definition of food safety culture, what it looks like, and indicators of food safety culture maturity within an organization
• The crucial role of assessment in promoting continuous improvement of food safety culture
• Different food safety culture assessment methods, their positives and negatives, and how to select the most appropriate method
• Best practices for communicating insights gained from food safety culture assessments to stakeholders
• How to adapt communication about assessment insights to different stakeholder groups
• Strategies for translating assessment insights into actions that effect organizational change and promote continuous improvement
• Learnings about food safety culture assessment and continuous improvement that can be applied within your organization today.

Resources

Article—Assessing Food Safety Culture: Selecting Methods and Communicating Insights, by Lone Jespersen, Ph.D., Shingai Nyarugwe, Ph.D., and Bob Lijana, M.Sc., for Food Safety Magazine October/November 2024

Webinar—Assessing Food Safety Culture: Selecting Methods and Communicating Insights

Sponsored by:

Meritech

Access Meritech’s Food Safety Toolbox!

We Want to Hear from You!Please send us your questions and suggestions to [email protected]

Takashi Nakamura, Ph.D. has served as Vice President of Food Safety for Fresh Del Monte since 2019. Previously, he worked in various senior research and development roles at Bumble Bee Foods and Bacardi, was the Vice President of Global Product Formulation and Worldwide Research and Development/Scientific Affairs at Herbalife, and was the Category Technical Leader for Portable Wholesome Snacking and Frozen Breakfast at Kellogg's. Dr. Nakamura serves on the Center for Produce Safety (CPS) Technical Committee and the Canadian Produce Marketing Association (CPMA) Food Safety Committee, and has represented Fresh Del Monte with the International Fresh Produce Association (IFPA). He is an active member of the International Association for Food Protection (IAFP). He received a Ph.D. in Engineering from Purdue University and an M.B.A. degree from the University of North Florida.

In this episode of Food Safety Matters, we speak with Dr. Nakamura [30:21] about:

• How Fresh Del Monte applies the insights gained from continuously monitoring food safety data and environmental monitoring program (EMP) results, and technologies that help execute data-informed food safety practices
• Ahead of the January 2026 compliance date for FDA’s Food Traceability Final Rule, Fresh Del Monte’s proactive journey to digitize its product traceability systems, the technology the company is using to achieve this goal, and the benefits of implementing a digital traceability system
• Fresh Del Monte’s robust approval process and strict standards for vendors, which consistently enables 100 percent farm-to-fork traceability
• Considering the complexity of farming operations, how Fresh Del Monte is ensuring compliance with the requirements of FDA’s Agricultural Water Rule among its growers
• Fresh Del Monte’s use of internal, operational surveys that help guide the company’s training programs and culture-strengthening initiatives
• In Dr. Nakamura’s opinion, two distinct food safety challenges of the fresh produce sector that deserve to be better understood.

News and Resources

FDA Introduces Streamlined Complaint Process on First Day of New Human Foods Program [1:07] 'Safe School Meals Act' Addresses Pesticides, PFAS, Food Dyes, and More in School Lunches [3:01] Scientists Create Public Database of Hundreds of Food Packaging Chemicals Found in Humans [16:18] Wastewater Monitoring Can Aid Foodborne Illness Surveillance, Study Shows [21:01]Canada Bans BVO as a Food Additive [27:00]Massachusetts is First State to Test All Dairy Herds for HPAI H5N1; No Trace of Virus Detected [27:28]

Sponsored by:

Michigan State University Online Food Safety Program

We Want to Hear from You! Please send us your questions and suggestions to [email protected]

José Emilio Esteban, D.V.M. was sworn in as the U.S. Under Secretary for Food Safety on January 4, 2023. In this role, he leads the Office of Food Safety at the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), overseeing the Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS), which has regulatory oversight for ensuring that meat, poultry, and egg products are safe, wholesome, and properly labeled.

In August 2018, Dr. Esteban was appointed FSIS chief scientist. In this capacity, he served as the primary scientific advisor on matters of public health and food safety that affect the mission of the agency, with primary responsibility for scientific initiatives within the FSIS Office of Public Health Science (OPHS). In 2002, Dr. Esteban joined OPHS as the Director of the Western Laboratory. In this role, he directed the implementation of the sampling program and was responsible for the facility, equipment, and personnel infrastructure. In 2008, he was appointed as the FSIS Science Advisor for laboratory services and then as Executive Associate for Laboratory Services, where he harmonized the operation of all three FSIS laboratories, maintained operations to meet with the ISO 17025 standard, and coordinated emergency response.

Prior to joining FSIS, Dr. Esteban worked in several positions at the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). From 1994–2002, he was as an epidemic intelligence service officer, a staff epidemiologist in the National Center for Environmental Health, and an assistant director for the CDC Food Safety Office. He received his doctorate in veterinary medicine (D.V.M.) from Mexico's Universidad Nacional Autonoma de Mexico, an M.B.A. degree from the Panamerican Institute, as well as a Master of Preventive Veterinary Medicine and a Ph.D. in Epidemiology from the University of California at Davis.

Sandra Eskin, J.D. was appointed U.S. Deputy Under Secretary for Food Safety on March 24, 2021. In this role, she leads the Office of Food Safety at USDA, overseeing FSIS. 

Prior to joining USDA, Mrs. Eskin was the Project Director for Food Safety at The Pew Charitable Trusts in Washington, D.C., a position she held since November 2009. She also served from 2008–2009 as the Deputy Director of the Produce Safety Project, a Pew-funded initiative at Georgetown University.  

Before that time, Mrs. Eskin spent nearly 20 years as a public policy consultant to numerous consumer advocacy and public interest organizations, providing strategic and policy advice on a broad range of consumer protection issues, particularly food and drug safety, labeling, and advertising. She has served as a member of multiple federal advisory committees related to consumer information on prescription drugs, meat and poultry safety, and foodborne illness surveillance. Mrs. Eskin received her J.D. from UC Hastings College of the Law, and her B.A. degree from Brown University. 

In this episode of Food Safety Matters, we speak with Dr. Esteban and Mrs. Eskin  [6:06] about:

• How FSIS took into consideration scientific advice from the National Advisory Committee on Microbiological Criteria for Foods (NACMCF) and public comments in its revisions to the Framework
• FSIS’s approach to encouraging a reduction in Salmonella load on incoming flocks at slaughter
• The feasibility of achieving the U.S. Healthy People 2030 target of a 25 percent reduction in salmonellosis illnesses within the next five years
• The reasoning behind targeting certain serotypes of concern and continually adjusting which serotypes are targeted as pathogens evolve
• Ways in which FSIS is assessing the efficacy of regulating Salmonella as an adulterant in breaded, stuffed, raw, not-ready-to-eat chicken products
• FSIS’s outreach and education efforts to help industry comply with the requirements of the Framework, once it is adopted
• Initiatives that FSIS launched in recognition of National Food Safety Education Month during September, and details about an ongoing consumer research study the agency is conducting to inform a redesign of the safe food handling instructions label.

Resources

USDA-FSIS Publishes Proposed Regulatory Framework for Salmonella in Raw Poultry USDA-FSIS: Salmonella Officially an Adulterant in Breaded, Stuffed Raw Chicken Products at 1 CFU/g or Higher Partnership for Food Safety Education Consumer Food Safety Educator Toolkit Food Safety Matters Ep. 150. Sarah Gallo: CBA and FDA—Modernizing Recalls, Inspections, Labeling, and More (Featuring Dr. Esteban)Food Safety Matters Ep. 134. Sandra Eskin: How USDA-FSIS is Tackling Salmonella in Poultry

Sponsored by:

bioMérieux 

Learn about bioMérieux’s poultry solutions!

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Steve Voelzke is a seasoned executive with over 34 years of experience in engineering and manufacturing leadership roles. His expertise lies in automation and electrical engineering projects, having successfully managed global-scale initiatives throughout his career. As Steve transitioned into the manufacturing sector, he brought his knowledge and vision to Robroy Industries, a prominent manufacturer. He assumed key leadership positions there and became a driving force behind innovation efforts. Steve's commitment to driving growth and innovation is evident through his numerous patents related to evolutionary products. His dedication to community service and philanthropy further highlights his passion for making a positive impact in his community and the industry.

In this episode of Food Safety Matters, we speak with Steve [1:53] about:

• The meaning of "hygienic design" in the context of food manufacturing facilities, and why it is a critical aspect of modern production
• Contributing factors to the rise in food recalls
• Types of recalls that are occurring in the food and beverage space and how hygienic design can help prevent them
• Industry best practices and sanitary standards that influence the selection of components and equipment in the design of a food manufacturing facility
• The importance of aligning electrical safety compliance and sanitary standards in food manufacturing
• How Robroy’s approach to hygienic design can help mitigate long-term contamination risks in food manufacturing facilities
• Client feedback on how implementing hygienic design philosophy has benefited their operations
• Ways in which Robroy’s hygienic design audits contribute to improving facility reliability and reducing contamination risks
• Beyond job audits, services Robroy provides to help ensure a proper approach to electrical infrastructure in food manufacturing facilities.

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Robroy

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