Food Safety Matters

Food Safety Magazine

Food Safety Matters is a podcast for food safety professionals hosted by the Food Safety Magazine editorial team – the leading media brand in food safety for over 20 years. Each episode will feature a conversation with a food safety professional sharing their experiences and insights into the important job of safeguarding the world’s food supply.

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Top 10 Food Safety Matters Episodes

Goodpods has curated a list of the 10 best Food Safety Matters episodes, ranked by the number of listens and likes each episode have garnered from our listeners. If you are listening to Food Safety Matters for the first time, there's no better place to start than with one of these standout episodes. If you are a fan of the show, vote for your favorite Food Safety Matters episode by adding your comments to the episode page.

Ep. 72. David Acheson: The Trouble with Defining “Ready-to-Eat"

Food Safety Matters

05/26/20 • 70 min

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

Ep. 70. Auburn Univ. Experts: COVID’s Effect on U.S. Meat Industry

Food Safety Matters

04/27/20 • 61 min

Bob Norton, Ph.D. is the chair of the Auburn University Food System Institute’s Food and Water Defense Working Group He is a long-time consultant to the U.S. military as well as federal and state law enforcement agencies. Bob is also a regular contributor to the Food Safety Magazine eDigest. Soren Rodning, D.V.M., M.Sc., DACT, is an associate professor and extension veterinarian with the Auburn University Department of Animal Sciences and the Alabama Cooperative Extension System. Jason Sawyer is an associate professor of meat science with the Department of Animal Sciences at Auburn University. Alex Tigue is a regional extension agent, Animal Sciences & Forages, Auburn University.

In this episode of Food Safety Matters, we speak to Bob, Soren, Jason, and Alex [25:58] about:

Whether or not the food industry could have seen such an event coming
The current state of the U.S. food supply and whether or not we'll experience a food shortage
The changing relationship between food companies and the public health sector
The truth about whether or not COVID-19 can be transmitted from a food facility worker to the food they work so closely with
The risks associated with having sick employees in the workplace
Converting food products meant for foodservice to other food sectors and the complications that accompany such a change

Bob Norton's COVID-19 Articles in Food Safety Magazine Novel Coronavirus (2019-nCoV) and Food Safety: A Time for Facts, Not Panic The 2019-nCoV Coronavirus Is Not a Food Supply Threat

Bob Ferguson's Food Safety Insights [17:11] Bob joins us to discuss his article featured in our April/May 2020 issue: Analytical Testing in Food Safety Continues to Grow

Want more from Bob Ferguson? Find more of his articles and podcast segments.

News Mentioned in This Episode Chipotle to Pay $25M Fine for Causing 1,000+ Foodborne Illnesses 2015-2018 [3:12] U.S. Meat and Poultry Plant Closings [7:38] NEW: CDC Publishes New Guidance for Meat & Poultry Industry NEW: CDC Issues Long List of Recommendations to Smithfield Foods Plant Plagued with COVID-19 Infections 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 [email protected]
Record a voice memo on your phone and email it to us at [email protected]

COVID-19: Assessing the Impacts on the Food Industry

Food Safety Matters

03/31/20 • 58 min

John Keogh is a strategist, advisor and management science researcher with 30 years of executive leadership roles as director, VP and SVP 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. 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, at the University of Reading using the lenses of agency theory, signalling theory and transactional cost theory.

Carl ’’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 John and C.J. about:

Opinions on whether or not the current coronavirus outbreak was a foreseeable event
How the consequences of the food industry's lack of digitization is panning out amid the outbreak
Issues within the global supply chain, ingredient sourcing, and what could happen if the effects of COVID-19 are long-lasting
What leadership really looks like at a time like this
How the government and food industry are initiating change in parts of Canada
Disruptions and unintended consequences the food industry is having to deal with
The food industry's road to recovery

Resources Breaking Boundaries to Avoid a Food System Crisis (February/March 2020)

Keep Up with Food Safety Magazine Follow Us on Twitter @FoodSafetyMag and on Facebook Subscribe to our magazine and our biweekly eNewsletter

Email us at [email protected]
Record a voice memo on your phone and email it to us at [email protected]

Ep. 35. John Butts: Listeria—Seek and Destroy

Food Safety Matters

10/09/18 • 61 min

John Butts is the vice president of research at Land O’Frost. He first joined the company in 1974. His focus there includes the application of scientific principles and quality management technology to develop sanitation process control methods and procedures. John is mostly known for the development of the “seek and destroy” process controls for Listeria which has been adopted throughout the food industry. He is a leading expert on sanitary design and food safety culture and has given over 100 presentations including the North American Meat Institute Listeria Intervention and Control workshops. John is also the founder and president of FoodSafetyByDesign LLC, a private consulting firm he established in 2010. There, he aims to help producers of high-risk products learn how to prevent and manage food safety risks. Listeners can reach him directly by emailing him at [email protected]. Finally, John is a longtime member of the Food Safety Magazine Editorial Advisory Board, along with having written numerous articles for the publication. He received the FSM Distinguished Service Award in 2006. In this episode of Food Safety Matters, we speak to John Butts about:

The many reasons why Listeria is no longer prevalent in meat
The importance of physical barriers and hygienic zoning within a food facility
Why Listeria is so problematic in both wet and dry environments
The proper processes of cleaning, sanitizing, disassembling equipment, and surface sampling
Problems associated with cleaning and disassembling equipment
Where Listeria actually comes from, and where it's commonly found
The definition of a harborage site
Unique ways to sanitize food facility equipment
The importance of having a multidisciplinary team in place
Sanitary design, sampling, and how keeping up with these tasks can save money
The three fundamental types of sampling

Food Safety Magazine articles written by (or featuring) John Butts: Land O’Frost: Breaking Ground in Sanitary Facility Design

The Supply Chain and Food Safety Culture: Processing

Seek & Destroy: Identifying and Controlling Listeria monocytogenes Growth Niches

The Journey to a State of Control

News Mentioned in This Episode: Walmart's Blockchain Food Traceability Initiative FDA Recall/Retail Disclosure Draft Guidance (includes instructions to submit public comments) Congresswoman DeLauro Questions Ground Beef Recall Timeline

Keep Up with Food Safety Magazine Follow Us on Twitter @FoodSafetyMag, and on Facebook Subscribe to our magazine, and our bi-weekly 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 [email protected]
Record a voice memo on your phone and email it to us at [email protected]
Leave us a voicemail at 747.231.6730

Neogen: Why AOAC?

Food Safety Matters

10/02/18 • 28 min

In this BONUS episode of Food Safety Matters, representatives from Neogen and AOAC INTERNATIONAL discuss the benefits of having testing methods and kits independently approved and certified.

You will learn all about the beginnings of AOAC INTERNATIONAL, how the organization has evolved, and what it means for a company within the food industry to be an affiliate member.

To help us better understand why AOAC INTERNATIONAL membership is a plus, our editorial director, Barbara Van Renterghem, spoke with two experts from both sides of the fence. Dave Schmidt is AOAC INTERNATIONAL's new executive director as of May 1, 2018. Prior to joining AOAC, he was principal consultant for Schmidt Commonwealth Strategies, LLC. From 2006 to 2015, he served as president CEO of the International Food Information Council (IFIC) and CEO of the IFIC Foundation in Washington, D.C. He joined IFIC in 1993 and held positions from director to executive vice president prior to being elected CEO. Dave also served as the first Bush Administration's director of external affairs for the U.S. Department of Agriculture Food Safety and Inspection Service where he addressed food safety and nutrition issues and managed the inspection agency’s media, legislative, and consumer education programs. He also gained a thorough understanding of the food industry in previous sales positions with Oscar Mayer Foods, Pepsi-Cola USA, and Canada Dry Corp. He holds a B.A. in business administration from Vanderbilt University, and completed graduate business studies at the University of New Orleans. He has also served the Town of Leesburg, VA, as a town council member. Dr. Robert Donofrio is the director of food safety research and development for Neogen. He joined Neogen in February of 2016, responsible for the strategic vision, resource management, and coordination of product development activities for the following laboratory groups: Immunodiagnostics, Biochemistry, Neogen Culture Media, Molecular biology, Pathogen Detection and General Microbiology. Dr. Donofrio also oversees the Neogen Validation laboratory which is responsible for performing internal product validation and coordinating third-party product certification and approval through groups such as AOAC, AFNOR, Health Canada, and MicroVal. Dr. Donofrio is also responsible for establishing key collaborations with university and private research centers as well as evaluating novel technologies for potential integration into Neogen’s product portfolio. Prior to Neogen, Dr. Donofrio spent 16 years at NSF International, a public health and safety company. During his tenure at NSF, Dr. Donofrio served as the director of the microbiology lab for over a decade, and then as director of the Applied Research Center for his final 3 years. He was awarded the NSF Star Employee Award in March of 2001 (was nominated for the same award in 2008), and guided his laboratory to the 2006 NSF Team of the Year Award.

Dr. Donofrio obtained his B.S. in biology from the University of Dayton in 1994 and his M.S. in environmental microbiology from Duquesne University in 1996, where he was named Graduate Student of the Year. Dr. Donofrio obtained his doctoral degree in microbiology from Michigan Technological University in May 2009.

Dr. Donofrio has authored dozens of publications for peer-reviewed journals, trade journals, and training materials. He is a full member of the International Association for Food Protection, Society of Industrial Microbiology and Biotechnology (SIMB), AOAC, American Society for Microbiology, Institute of Food Technology, and the American Association for the Advancement of Science. He has served on the Board of Directors at SIMB for two terms.

In this episode, we speak to Neogen and AOAC INTERNATIONAL about:

AOAC's history, mission, and funding
Future growth opportunities in microbiological testing, dietary supplements, and cannabis
Benefits of being an affiliate member
Method validations offered by AOAC, and options for proprietary methods
AOAC's laboratory proficiency testing program
Performance tested methods program vs. official methods of analysis program
The importance of AOAC approval to an affiliate member
The process of getting a testing method or kit approved by AOAC
Deciding which products will and will not go through the AOAC approval process
Global harmonization efforts
Education and training efforts, particularly for the new generation of scientists
What it's like to partner with AOAC

Resources AOAC Performance Tested Methods (PTM) Program

AOAC Official Methods of Analysis (OMA) Program

AOAC ...

Ep. 88. Corby, Mandernach, Mettler: New Era Blueprint for Federal and State Partnerships

Food Safety Matters

01/26/21 • 61 min

Joseph Corby is Senior Advisor of Food Safety Regulations for the Association of Food and Drug Officials (AFDO). Joe Corby worked for the New York State Department of Agriculture and Markets for 37 years before retiring in 2008 as the director of the Division of Food Safety and Inspection. He currently serves on the Board of Directors for the International Food Protection Training Institute (IFPTI). He is also an instructor for IFPTI, Louisiana State University, the National Environmental Health Association, and the University of Tennessee. He has been an outspoken advocate for the advancement of a nationally integrated food safety system and continues to work with numerous groups and associations in support of this cause.

Erik P. Mettler, M.P.H., M.P.A., is Assistant Commissioner for Partnerships and Policy within the Office of Regulatory Affairs, FDA. In this role, Eric Mettler serves as advisor to the associate commissioner for regulatory affairs on the full range of Office of Regulatory Affairs (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. Mettler holds a Master of Public Health from the Rollins School of Public Health at Emory University and a Master of Public Administration from the University of New Mexico.

Steve Mandernach is the Executive Director of the Association of Food and Drug Officials (AFDO), which unites high-level regulatory officials, industry representatives, trade associations, academia, and consumer organizations. Prior to becoming executive director in 2018, Steve was the bureau chief for food and consumer safety at the Iowa Department of Inspections. He is a past president of AFDO and current co-chair of the Association’s Laws and Regulations committee. He has a J.D. from Drake University Law School.

In this episode of Food Safety Matters, we speak to Steve, Joe, and Erik [14:25] about:

How domestic mutual reliance fits into the blueprint of the New Era of Smarter Food Safety
What FDA means by domestic mutual reliance
Examples of domestic mutual reliance in practice
The challenges of different regulations across the country
Positioning resources for compliance
The importance of food safety culture
Harmonizing the philosophies around compliance and enforcement between state and federal governments
Why having an integrated food safety system took so long
Mutual reliance success stories: New York, Florida, Wisconsin
Challenges for implementation of domestic mutual reliance partnerships
Pros and cons of virtual audits/inspections
Impact of domestic mutual reliance on food laboratories
Applicability of domestic mutual reliance globally
Future goals of domestic mutual reliance

Resources

Register now for a related webinar featuring Joe Corby, AFDO; Frank Greene, CT Dept. of Consumer Protection; Erik Mettler, FDA; Pamela Miles, VA Dept. of Agriculture & Consumer Services; and Mark Sestak, AL Dept. of Public Health: How FDA is Integrating the Blueprint for Smarter Food Safety • Food Safety Magazine launches new website! Visit us at our new address www.Food-Safety.com • Food Safety Magazine introduces our new eMagazine platform! Click here to check out our new and exciting format. • Register now for Global Food Safety Culture Series: Europe. Featuring Lone Jespersen, Ph.D., Cultivate; Jonathan Walsh Ph.D., 3M Food Safety; Lydie De Meyer and Edyta Krysiuk-Kowalczyk, Danone. This is part one of our five-part series. Parts two through five examine Australia, Asia, North American, and Latin America. • When There Wasn’t Enough Sanitizer, Distilleries Stepped Up. Now They’re Facing $14,060 FDA Fees. FDA response. FDA User Fee Programs.

Sponsored by: Romer Labs is a leading global supplier of diagnostic solutions for food and feed safety. Romer Labs offers a broad range of innovative products and services covering mycotoxins, food pathogens, food alle...

Ep. 109. Mark Wittrock: Predictive Preparedness at DHS

Food Safety Matters

12/14/21 • 70 min

Mark Wittrock is the Director of the Food, Agriculture, and Veterinary Defense Division within the Countering Weapons of Mass Destruction Office at the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS).

In this role, he oversees the coordination and integration of the Department’s food, agriculture, and veterinary defense efforts across DHS, the federal interagency, state, local, tribal, and territorial governments, academia, and the international community. His DHS focus is largely on mitigating the potential impacts from high-consequence and/or catastrophic events on the food and agriculture sectors and building stronger resilience to both the unintentional and intentional introduction of poisons, pests, or pathogens that could have quickly cascading impacts across the sectors.

Mr. Wittrock has held a range of counterterrorism, nonproliferation, and counter-proliferation posts, both in the U.S. and abroad—including Deputy Assistant Director for International Cooperation, Senior Policy Advisor to the Deputy Administrator for Defense Nuclear Nonproliferation at the National Nuclear Security Administration. Mr. Wittrock worked as a Foreign Affairs Officer at the U.S. Department of State, as well as served in the U.S. Department of Defense, both on active duty and as a civil servant.

Mark holds an M.S. in national security strategy, an M.B.A. in global management, and has Certificates of Professional Fluency in Russian from the U.S. Defense Language Institute, Moscow State University (Lomonosov), and the British Institute of Linguistics.

In this episode of Food Safety Matters, we speak to Mark [29:27] about:

Overview of the Office of Food, Agriculture, and Veterinary Defense
Engaging emergency support functions during the pandemic
Building the architecture framework to enhance resilience and prevent crisis
The One Health initiative: the interconnection between people, animals, plants, and their environment
Developing robust interagency partnerships
Developing partnerships with external organizations, agencies, universities, and corporations
Call to industry as a critical partner in developing resilience.

News and References FDA Proposed Revision for Produce Safety Rule’s Agricultural Water Requirements [3:40] Related articles: You Can’t Change the Future by Always Looking at the Past Fixing FSMA’s Ag Water Requirements EFSA Assesses Risk of Bacteria Spread During Animal Transport [12:19] USDA Agriculture Secretary to Nominate New Under Secretary for Food Safety [15:22]

Food Safety Insights [17:23] Supply Chain Woes—What is at Stake, and What Will Change?

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

Ep. 119: Live from the Food Safety Summit

Food Safety Matters

05/24/22 • 76 min

To get a taste of the discussions that were happening at the 2022 Food Safety Summit, we spoke face-to-face with Hal King, Managing Partner at Active Food Safety and John Zimmerman, Vice President of Quality Assurance and Food Safety at First Watch Restaurants; Mark Moorman, Director of the Office of Food Safety at the U.S. Food and Drug Administration’s Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition (FDA’s CFSAN); Mikael Bengtsson, Industry Principle for Food and Beverage at Infor; Steve Mandernach, Executive Director of the Association of Food and Drug Officials (AFDO); John Spink, Director of the Food Fraud Prevention Think Tank and Lead Instructor at the Food Fraud Prevention Academy; and Mitzi Baum, CEO of Stop Foodborne Illness.

In this episode of Food Safety Matters, we speak with the following individuals about:

Hal King and John Zimmerman [25:37]:

The top risk factors that cause most foodborne illness outbreaks, and how a comprehensive food safety management system (FSMS) can help address those risk factors
The importance of being proactive instead of reactive when it comes to food safety, and how a FSMS helps businesses take action
The key steps to developing and executing a quality FSMS in a retail foodservice business, as well as how to sustain and update a FSMS despite turnover
The importance of training and good standard operating procedures (SOPs) in a FSMS, as well as monitoring for continuous improvement.

Mark Moorman [32:09]:

How CFSAN helps execute FDA’s New Era of Smarter Food Safety by focusing on two of the New Era’s four core pillars: foodborne illness outbreak response and the retail sector
The importance of leaders “taking a step back” to talk to and learn from others in the food safety community
Why FDA’s and the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC’s) improved ability to detect and trace foodborne illness outbreaks will lead to an increase of recorded data on such outbreaks
The need for food production companies to cooperate and communicate with regulators during food safety incidents
The urgency of using technology to improve traceability and “connect the dots” to rapidly remove unsafe foods from the market
FDA's emphasis on engaging with industry and building partnerships.

Mikael Bengtsson [43:08]:

What supply chain transparency is, and how it benefits food safety by making the supply chain more efficient
The process by which food moves from farm to table, including the rise and effects of direct-to-consumer food retail
How food and beverage manufacturers can increase transparency by using innovative technological tools
The importance of being able to react precisely and quickly to food safety incidents
How the food sector can modernize its methods for data collection and analysis.

Steve Mandernach [50:54]:

The action steps needed to improve and modernize food product recalls at all levels
The public health and business costs of fighting regulators during a food safety incident investigation
Key ways to modernize the inspection process, such as with remote audits, and the possible benefits of doing so
How in-person collaboration expedites progress within the food safety community.

John Spink [59:55]:

The interrelationships of cybersecurity, supply chain management, and food safety
How to prepare for and navigate supply chain disruptions by revisiting the fundamentals of supply chain management from the role of the supply chain manager
How massive changes, as precipitated by the COVID-19 pandemic, lead to supply chain vulnerabilities, and how proactive thinking can prevent food fraud during vulnerable times
The level of food crime over time and changes in the way fraudulent activities are carried out.

Mitzi Baum [1:05:42]:

Why modernizing recalls is essential in protecting consumers, and the need for it to be a collaborative effort
Stop Foodborne Illness’ multi-stakeholder working group, The Alliance to Stop Foodborne Illness, and the work being done to improve the U.S. recall system
Stop Foodborne Illness’ approach to managing regulatory partnerships by stressing that “we are all in this together”
The power of sharing effective messaging with industry, consumers, and regulators
Stop Foodborne Illness’ and FDA’s joint webinar series on food safety culture.

News and Resources:

2022 Food Safety Summit Opens with Riveting Mock Civil Trial [8:23]

Ep. 123. Tia Glave, Jill Stuber: Coaching FSQ Leaders to Drive Positive Change in Culture

Food Safety Matters

07/26/22 • 63 min

Jill Stuber has served on FSQ teams for several multi-million-dollar food companies and food industry support companies, at both the corporate and frontline facility levels. She has defined expectations and programs for company-wide FSQ systems and has been responsible for verifying the implementation of those systems. Jill has led multi-plant teams to clearly define team and individual roles, expectations, and boundaries to more fully integrate and collaborate across organizations.

Jill holds B.S. and M.S. degrees in food science from the University of Wisconsin (at River Falls and Madison, respectively); as well as an M.S. degree in quality management from Eastern Michigan University. She is a professional coach certified through Learning Journeys, an accredited program through the International Coaching Federation. She is also HACCP Certified, PCQI Certified, an SQF Practitioner, an IFT Certified Food Scientist, a Lean Facilitator, and a Six Sigma Black Belt. Additionally, Jill is an active member of the International Association for Food Protection, serving as the Developing Food Safety Professional's Professional Development Group Vice Chair.

Tia Glave is a food safety, quality, and regulatory professional with almost a decade of experience in large food manufacturing, food retail, and startup food environments. She is formally trained as a chemical engineer and holds a B.S. degree from the University of Tennessee. She is a qualified individual trained in PCQI and FSVP, is knowledgeable in GFSI schemes, and has worked with many food product categories.

Tia has a passion for helping manufacturing and retail organizations of all sizes build and strengthen their FSQ programs. She uses systems, data, and proven methods to develop and implement FSQ strategies that create efficiencies, are effective, and identify cost savings, all while using servant leadership principles. She has led small and large teams across multiple functions, including operations and maintenance, giving her a unique approach to implementing a strategy cross-functionally.

Tia's passion also extends to championing Black talent in food safety and quality, and she's the founder of the Black Professionals in Food Safety Group to foster sharing, development, and connection to support Black talent. You can find the group on LinkedIn! Tia is also an active member of the International Association for Food Protection, serving as the Retail and Foodservice Professional Development Group Vice Chair.

In this episode of Food Safety Matters, we speak with Tia and Jill [23:30] about:

The importance of “meeting people where they’re at” when assessing a company’s level of food safety and crafting a plan for improvement
The various factors that consultants must consider when guiding a company along its food safety journey
Cultivating an effective FSQ leadership team to help build a robust and healthy food safety culture
How an FSQ leader can embrace their role and lead their team by discerning and evaluating workload capacity
How “coaching” is different from “mentoring” or “consulting,” and why coaching may be a more effective approach when helping clients improve food safety culture
How the Black Professionals in Food Safety and Quality networking group creates an avenue for Black professionals to grow in their FSQ careers and includes them in critical industry conversations
Why focusing on a company’s people, programs, and progress can reveal the "maturity stage" of its food safety culture
Common growing pains within a food business operation, and how growing pains can be addressed through emotionally intelligent leadership
Why FSQ leaders must take an active, intentional role in cultivating positive change within a company’s food safety culture
How FSQ can become a trusted business asset by “stepping up instead of sitting back.”

News and Resources:

FSIS Summarizes Foodborne Illness Outbreak Investigations for FY 2021 [03:22]FSIS Releases FY2020 Foodborne Illness Outbreak Investigations Summary Report FDA Publishes Guidance on FSMA-Compliant Preventive Controls for Pet Food [07:50] FDA Finds Harmful PFAS in Imported Canned Clams<...

Ep. 163. Natalie Dyenson: IFPA’s Advocacy for Global, Farm-to-Fork Produce Safety

Food Safety Matters

02/13/24 • 54 min

Natalie Dyenson, M.P.H. is the Chief Food Safety and Regulatory Officer for the International Fresh Produce Association (IFPA). She has nearly three decades of experience in food safety that encompasses the entire produce supply chain, from farm to fork. In her role at IFPA, Natalie and her team actively work to guide industry on food safety issues and connect with regulators and policymakers to advocate for a science-focused and risk-based approach to food safety worldwide.

Having previously served as Vice President of Food Safety and Quality for Dole Food Company, Natalie is an internationally recognized food safety expert with broad and extensive experience leading international food safety programs for produce. She has leadership experience in food safety, public health, and regulatory compliance, leading global teams with a focus on scientific, risk-based program development, strategic planning, regulatory compliance, and quality assurance.

Prior to joining Dole, Natalie held food safety leadership roles with both Walmart U.S. and Walmart International divisions. She also worked with Walt Disney Parks and Resorts, where she held various roles in food safety and public health supporting domestic and international operations. Natalie holds a B.S. degree in Microbiology from the University of Iowa and an M.P.H. degree in Infectious Disease Epidemiology and Biostatistics from the University of South Florida. She serves on the Produce Advisory Committee for the U.S. Department of Agriculture National Institute of Food and Agriculture’s (USDA NIFA’s) Specialty Crop Research Initiative (SCRI) grant, and sits on the Board of Directors for the Center for Produce Safety (CPS).

In this episode of Food Safety Matters, we speak with Natalie [29:05] about:

How Natalie’s experience has given her a well-rounded, global perspective that informs her current work at IFPA
The work of IFPA’s Food Safety Council to improve food safety worldwide, and how the council represents the Association’s international and multi-sectoral community
Why IFPA recently became a member of the Global Food Safety Initiative (GFSI), and the Association’s goal to reduce redundant audits as part of the GFSI Coalition for Action
IFPA’s participation in the Codex Alimentarius Commission Committee on Food Hygiene to ensure the produce perspective is part of the discussion as Codex guidance and recommendations are developed
IFPA’s current priorities for produce food safety achievable through its three strategic objectives
The long-awaited U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Agricultural Water Proposed Rule (Subpart E of the Produce Safety Rule), and IFPA’s recently published, anticipatory guidance for industry
The increasing concern about Cyclospora contamination of produce, the unreliability of detection methods under development, and strategies that can be implemented to break the cycle of contamination despite lacking effective detection methods.

News and Resources

New Illinois Bill Aims to Ban Same Four Toxic Food Additives as California Food Safety Act [4:12]

EFSA: Poor Hygienic Equipment Design Most Crucial Risk Factor for Persistent Pathogens in Food Production [11:16]

GAO, HHS Urge FDA to Develop Implementation Plan for Food Traceability Final Rule [17:50]FDA’s Food Traceability Final Rule FAQs, Tools, and Resources

USDA Releases Annual Pesticide Residue Report, Finds 99 Percent of Samples Below Benchmarks [20:59]

Study Shows Promise of Phage Treatment in Reducing Salmonella on Raw Chicken Breast [22:36]

IFPA Industry Guidance on Pre-Harvest Agricultural Water<...

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