Food Safety Matters

Hal King, Ph.D., is a recognized leader in public health. He's worked in government, industry, and education. Currently, Hal is the managing partner at Active Food Safety, a new advisory services and digital products company. He is also the founder and CEO of Public Health Innovations, a public health strategy and design company. In addition, Hal serves as an associate professor of public health at the University of Georgia. As a public health professional, Hal has investigated foodborne and other disease outbreaks at the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. And, he's performed federally funded research on the causation and prevention of infectious diseases at Emory University School of Medicine. Hal also worked in the prevention of intentional adulteration of foods and food defense for the Army Force Health Protection. Another one of his prior roles was as the director of food and product safety at Chick-fil-A. There, he designed and led the company's food safety management program for 11 years.

Lone Jespersen is the principal at Cultivate, an organization dedicated to helping food manufacturers globally make safe, great-tasting food through cultural effectiveness. Lone has significant experience with food manufacturing, having previously spent 11 years with Maple Leaf Foods. Following the tragic event in 2008 when Maple Leaf products claimed 23 Canadian lives, Lone led the execution of Maple Leaf's food strategy and its operations learning strategy. She holds a master's degree in mechanical engineering from Syd Dansk University (Denmark), and an M.Sc. and Ph.D. in food science from the University of Guelph (Canada).   Marie Tanner joined the Dairy Farmers of America in 2017. She is currently the senior vice president of food safety and quality. Prior to that, Marie was the global chief food safety and quality, health, safety, and environment management at Kerry. Before Kerry, Marie held various quality leadership roles at PepsiCo and Godiva (Ulker). Marie holds an M.Sc. in food science from Rutgers

This episode features a panel of the Food Safety Preventive Control Alliance (FSPCA)'s lead instructors. They discuss virtual food safety training in the age of COVID. Connie Landis Fisk is a northwest regional extension associate for the Produce Safety Alliance (PSA). PSA has a temporary policy allowing its trainers to deliver their Grower Training Course remotely during the COVID-19 pandemic. Connie offers a weekly office hour to share tips and answer questions about using Zoom for those remote trainings. Amanda Evans-Lara is a principle food safety consultant and compliance specialist with HACCP Mentor, a website that provides tools, tips, and training to help food businesses comply with global, customer, and regulatory Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points (HACCP) and food safety requirements. She has over 28 years of experience working with Australian and international food businesses. Amanda is an FSPCA lead instructor for Preventive Controls for Human Food and Intentional Adulteration Vulnerabi

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

Joe Stout is the founder of Commercial Food Sanitation, a consulting firm that provides food safety and sanitation solutions to food processing plants. Before that, Joe spent nearly 30 years at Kraft Foods. While there, he held a variety of positions related to operations, quality, and sanitation, ultimately leading to his role as Kraft's director of global product protection, sanitation, and hygienic design. In this role at Kraft, Joe had global responsibility for plant cleaning controls and processes, allergen and pathogen control programs, pest control, and hygienic design for facilities and equipment used in more than 200 Kraft plants. Joe also managed the Global Product Protection Group, assuring global support for internal and external plants. Joe led the American Meat Institute’s (AMI) Equipment Design Task Force and has led Listeria Intervention training for AMI and the American Frozen Food Institute. He is the current leader of the Consumer Brands Association's (formerly, the Grocery Manufacturers

John G. Keogh is a strategist, advisor, and management science researcher with 30 years of executive leadership roles as director, vice president, and senior vice president in global supply chain management, information technology, technology consulting, and supply chain standards. Currently, he is managing principal at Toronto-based, niche advisory, and research firm Shantalla Inc. He holds a post-graduate diploma in Management, an MBA in Management, and a Master of Science in Business and Management Research in Transparency and Trust in the Food Chain. He is currently completing doctoral research focused on transparency and trust in global food chains at Henley Business School, University of Reading, using the lenses of agency theory, signaling theory, and transactional cost theory. Carl or ’’C.J.” Unis is a Systems Engineer with expertise in Continuity of Operations, Continuity of Government, devolution, infrastructure, supply chain logistics, and emergency management. He has a Master’s Degree in Systems

John G. Keogh is a strategist, advisor, and management science researcher with 30 years of executive leadership roles as director, vice president, and senior vice president in global supply chain management, information technology, technology consulting, and supply chain standards. Currently, he is managing principal at Toronto-based, niche advisory, and research firm Shantalla Inc. He holds a post-graduate diploma in Management, an MBA in Management, and a Master of Science in Business and Management Research in Transparency and Trust in the Food Chain. He is currently completing doctoral research focused on transparency and trust in global food chains at Henley Business School, University of Reading, using the lenses of agency theory, signaling theory, and transactional cost theory. Carl or ’’C.J.” Unis is a Systems Engineer with expertise in Continuity of Operations, Continuity of Government, devolution, infrastructure, supply chain logistics, and emergency management. He has a Master’s Degree in Systems

In this BONUS episode of Food Safety Matters, we speak to Paul Barnhill, chief technology officer and head engineer at Meritech, the leader in automated employee hygiene. He has over 28 years of experience working with professionals in food manufacturing, healthcare, and foodservice. He understands the challenges these industries face when creating hygiene programs and how to overcome these obstacles through education and automated technologies. Paul often speaks on best practices in hand hygiene, footwear sanitation, and the science behind pathogen removal. Helping food processing and packaging facilities produce safe and healthy products through hygiene excellence is a passion for him. Prior to joining Meritech, Paul worked at Medtronic, Inc. a leader in cardiovascular equipment and implantable devices, in their hemostasis division as a mechanical designer within the R&D department. Paul earned his accreditation degree from the American Institute for Design & Drafting.  In this BONUS episode of Fo

Keith Warriner, Ph.D., is a professor of food science at the University of Guelph. He is also the food science graduate coordinator of the department’s Master of Science and Ph.D. food science programs. After completing his Ph.D. in microbial physiology at the University College of Wales, he worked for the Department of Medicine at the University of Manchester where he studied biosensors. He also attended the University of Nottingham as a research fellow in food microbiology, working with fresh produce. He joined the Department of Food Science at the University of Guelph in 2002 and was promoted to full professor in 2011. He is the former president of the Ontario Food Protection Association, a member of the International Association of Food Protection, is an associate editor of the Canadian Journal of Microbiology, and is on the editorial board for Applied & Environmental Microbiology and International Journal of Food Microbiology. ​Keith's research revolves around food safety and food microbiology, al

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 Off

Bryan Hitchcock is the executive director of the Global Food Traceability Center (GFTC) for the Institute of Food Technologists (IFT). Bryan is responsible for managing and directing the GFTC, including overall leadership, strategy and governance, sales and marketing, and government, public, and industry relations. Additionally, Bryan is IFT's principal scientific and technology leader on matters related to existing food chains and their digital transformation. His previous roles have been with PepsiCo, Procter & Gamble, and 3M Company.  Bryan earned his bachelor's degree in Chemical Engineering from Cornell University. In this episode of Food Safety Matters, we speak to Bryan [26:44] about: The birth of GFTC and how it was made possible with the help of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration What traceability and communication should look like within the food supply chain Proactive steps food companies can take to improve their supply chain transparency and traceability How social media plays a role in

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 heal

Stacey Popham is the vice president of quality and food safety for the Americas region of Barry Callebaut. Prior to this, Stacey held the same role at Treehouse Foods. Before then, she spent 13 years at Kraft Foods in various quality and R&D roles. Mike Cramer is the senior director of food safety and quality assurance for Ajinomoto Windsor where he's served for 26 years. Mike is also a longstanding member of Food Safety Magazine's Editorial Advisory Board. ​Sean Leighton is the vice president of food safety, quality, and regulatory affairs at Cargill. Before that, Sean spent 13 years with Coca-Cola (U.S., Canada, and Europe) in various roles spanning quality, food safety, and environmental sustainability. Sean is also a member of Food Safety Magazine's Editorial Advisory Board. In this episode of Food Safety Matters, we speak to Stacey [10:26], Mike [29:58], and Sean [52:54] about: How food safety and quality roles have shifted to address many challenges brought forth by COVID-19 Communicating and assu

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

Keith Robinson is the vice president of pest control services for Fine Tune. He joined the company in 2019 after spending nearly 30 years in the pest control industry, most recently as the vice president of operations training, quality assurance, and food safety at ABC Home & Commercial Services. In that role, Keith led all commercial pest management operations in northern and eastern Texas, plus Oklahoma. A board-certified entomologist, Keith has developed and rolled out food safety programs for national chain accounts across the U.S. Today, Keith oversees Fine Tune's pest control services offerings nationwide. In this BONUS episode of Food Safety Matters, we speak to Fine Tune about: The biggest challenges facing pest control in the face of changing regulations How pest control has evolved over the years Why pest control providers also need to be subject matter experts Common problems with pest misidentification, proper documentation, and more The importance of open and regular communication between th

Steven 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. Ernest Julian, Ph.D. is chief of the Center for Food Protection for the Rhode Island Department of Health, a position he has held for the last 30 years. Prior to this, he was with the Connecticut Department of Health for 14 years. He is president of the Association of Food and Drug Officials (AFDO) and he has served as AFDO’s representative to the Council to Improve Foodborne Outbreak Response (CIFOR), and the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)’s FSMA Surveillance Workgroup. Er

Steven 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. Ernest Julian, Ph.D. is chief of the Center for Food Protection for the Rhode Island Department of Health, a position he has held for the last 30 years. Prior to this, he was with the Connecticut Department of Health for 14 years. He is president of the Association of Food and Drug Officials (AFDO) and he has served as AFDO’s representative to the Council to Improve Foodborne Outbreak Response (CIFOR), and the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)’s FSMA Surveillance Workgroup. Er

Frank Yiannas is the U.S. Food and Drug Administration's (FDA) Deputy Commissioner for Food Policy and Response, a position he assumed in December 2018. In this role, he is charged with the development and execution of policies related to food safety, including implementation of the landmark FDA Food Safety Modernization Act. His leadership role within the agency covers a broad spectrum of food safety priorities, such as outbreak response, traceback investigations, product recall activities, and supply chain innovation across the full spectrum of FDA-regulated products. Prior to joining FDA, Frank was the vice president of food safety at Walmart—the world's largest food retailer. In that role, Frank oversaw all food safety—as well as other public health functions—for Walmart, serving over 200 million customers around the world on a weekly basis. His scope of responsibilities included food safety oversight of Walmart’s stores, Neighborhood Markets, and Sam’s Clubs. He was also charged with training and educati

The National Association Association of Convenience Stores (NACS) show provides the most comprehensive representation of products and services for the convenience and fuel retailing industry. Retailers attend the NACS show to discover proven ideas, attract new customers, build their brand, and improve their bottom line. The show is attended by more than 24,000 people. At the 2019 NACS show in Atlanta, GA, Barbara VanRenterghem moderated a roundtable discussion about food safety in the C-store environment. She was joined by Jeremy Zenlea (Cumberland Farms). Jeremy was also the featured guest in Ep. 44 of Food Safety Matters. In this episode of Food Safety Matters, we share snippets of the food safety roundtable at NACS [6:57]. Topics discussed include: How to decide whether or not to initiate recall when a food allergen is not so clearly displayed on food packaging How food handling and sanitation should be approached when a sick employee returns to the workplace Decision-making when a suspected, potentially

Bob Whitaker, Ph.D., recently retired, served as the chief science and technology officer for the Produce Marketing Association (PMA). In that role, Bob was responsible for food safety, technology, supply chain management, and sustainability. He also served on the Center for Produce Safety's Board of Directors as well as on the California Leafy Greens Technical Committee. Prior to joining PMA, Bob spent 16 years in the biotechnology arena with DNA Plant Technology Corporation as a researcher, and then as vice president of fruit and vegetable R&D. Bob's career has also included roles at NewStar Fresh Foods and its subsidiary MissionStar Processing. Bob earned his doctorate in biology from the State University of New York at Binghamton. Jennifer McEntire, Ph.D., is the vice president of food safety and technology at United Fresh Produce Association. Before that, she was the vice president of science operations for the Grocery Manufacturers Association. She has also had roles as vice president and chief sc