Ep. 164. Brian Ronholm: Food Safety Current Events From a Consumer Advocate POV
54m
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Food Safety Matters
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Brian Ronholm, M.A., is the Director of Food Policy for Consumer Reports, where he leads advocacy efforts to advance a safe and healthy food system. He was in public service prior to joining Consumer Reports, having served as Deputy Under Secretary for Food Safety at the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), and before that, as a congressional staff person for Congresswoman Rosa DeLauro of Connecticut.
In this episode of Food Safety Matters, we speak with Brian [28:55] about:
- How his prior experience in regulatory policy informs his current consumer advocacy work
- The FDA Foods Coalition, of which Consumer Reports is a part, and how the Coalition will work with Jim Jones, U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Deputy Commissioner for Human Foods, to bring about change
- The need for stricter limits, testing, and disclosure of toxic heavy metals in baby foods, and FDA’s handling of this issue through its Closer to Zero Initiative
- How FDA’s “historic inactivity” regarding food additives may be prompting state-level legislation, such as the California Food Safety Act, and what actions could be taken at the federal level to reign in control over food additives regulation
- USDA’s proposed regulatory framework to reduce cases of salmonellosis attributable to poultry, and the importance of pathogen testing and enforceable standards
- Takeaways from the Netflix documentary Poisoned, and the need for constant vigilance and innovation in food safety.
News and Resources
WGS Helps Solve a Decade-Long Listeria Outbreak Linked to Queso Fresco, Cotija Cheese [6:00]
Recent Outbreaks of Listeriosis Linked to Fresh Soft Queso Fresco Type Cheeses in the U.S.
NACMCF Reports on Reducing Salmonella in Poultry, Advises FSIS on Proposed Regulatory Framework [12:43]
In a 2023 Recap, USDA-FSIS Says it Aims to Publish Formal Regulatory Proposal for Salmonella in Poultry by Early 2024
Study Highlights Importance of Addressing Biofilm-Forming Pathogens to Control Listeria in Food Processing Facilities [20:03]
Identification of Biofilm-forming Foodborne Pathogens and Development of Prevention Strategies
FDA Publishes Guidance to Support Seafood Industry in Trying to Get Products Removed From DWPE [23:44]
Nationwide Produce Outbreak: A Moment You Never Forget
Ep. 15. Will Daniels: "It was a game changer for the industry"
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Barbara Kowalcyk, Ph.D., M.A., is an Associate Professor in the Department of Exercise and Nutrition Sciences and the Director of the Food Policy Institute at George Washington University's (GW's) Milken Institute School of Public Health. She also has an appointment in the U.S. Department of Environmental and Occupational Health and is a fellow with the Sumner M. Redstone Global Center for Prevention and Wellness.
Dr. Kowalcyk's research spans a range of topics related to food safety and infectious foodborne disease, and their intersection with nutrition security. She has extensively used epidemiologic methods, data analytics, and risk analysis to assess food safety risks and potential intervention strategies in both the U.S. and the Global South. Prior to joining GW in 2023, Dr. Kowalcyk was faculty at Ohio State University with appointments in the Department of Food Science and Technology and the Department of Environmental Health Sciences, and directed the Center for Foodborne Illness Research and Prevention (CFI), a nonprofit organization she co-founded in 2006. Prior to joining OSU, she was a senior food safety and public health scientist at RTI International and a research assistant professor in the Department of Food, Bioprocessing, and Nutrition Science at North Carolina State University.
Dr. Kowalcyk holds a B.A. degree in mathematics from the University of Dayton, an M.A. degree in Applied Statistics from the University of Pittsburgh, and a Ph.D. in Environmental Health from the University of Cincinnati. She has served on many national committees, including two National Academy of Sciences committees and her current appointment to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration's (FDA's) Science Board.
In this episode of Food Safety Matters, we speak with Dr. Kowalcyk [39:50] about:
Her research and advocacy work in the food safety realm, which focuses on advancing equitable food systems that promote public health and prevent foodborne illness
How Dr. Kowalcyk's background and personal experiences shaped her career in food safety
The interconnectedness of food safety, nutrition, and food security, and the need for an integrated approach to drive improvement in these three areas
Dr. Kowalcyk's experience as part of the Reagan-Udall Foundation independent panel that conducted the 2022 evaluation of FDA's operations, and her impressions of the proposed reorganization plan for the agency's Human Foods Program
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Current food safety challenges on Dr. Kowalcyk’s radar, like the effects of climate change on the safety of water used in food production and the need for workforce development in the food safety industry.
News and Resources
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FDA Testing Finds HPAI in Retail Milk Samples; Research Required to Determine Infectivity, Food Safety Risk
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Alabama Poised to Ban Cell-Based Meat
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- Angela [1:28:31] about common gaps in food companies’ traceability programs and how Share-ify provides a solution.
News and Resources:
Stream On-Demand for Free: Recordings of FSS 2024 Keynote and Other Sessions
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Who Watches the Kitchen? Book
Register for the 2024 Food Safety Summit!
Taking place May 6–9, 2024 in Rosemont, Illinois. Register with promo code “FSMatters15” for 15% off registration.
We Want to Hear from You!
Please send us your questions and suggestions [email protected]