Food Safety Matters

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

Stop Foodborne Illness Dave Theno Food Safety Fellowship

[WEBINAR] February 22, 2024 “Applied Root Cause Analysis: Using Your Results to Effectively Manage Risk”

[WEBINAR] March 28, 2024 "Controlling Salmonellaand Cronobacterin Dry Processing Environments by Managing System Breaches"

Register for the 2024 Food Safety Summit!
Taking place May 6–9, 2024 in Rosemont, Illinois. Register before March 31 for a 10% early bird discount rate, plus use promo code “FSMatters15” for an extra 15% off registration. Yes, that’s a total discount of 25%!

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Brian Sylvester, J.D., is a Partner in Perkins Coie LLP's Washington D.C. office and a former Attorney-Advisor at the U.S. Department of Agriculture's (USDA's) Marketing, Regulatory, and Food Safety Programs Division's Office of the General Counsel. At Perkins Coie, Brian focuses his practice on regulatory matters before the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), the USDA, the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), and analogous state regulatory bodies. He is a leading authority on food technology regulation and serves as a trusted advisor to global brands, startups, life science companies, investors, and trade associations.

Brian is a prolific author and frequent speaker at industry-leading events in the U.S., the EU, Israel, and other parts of the world. He is regularly called upon to offer insights on trending legal issues by preeminent industry and global publications. He holds a J.D. from Cornell Law School and a Bachelor's degree in Psychological and Brain Sciences from Dartmouth College.

In this episode of Food Safety Matters, we speak with Brian [30:41] about:

• How the 2023 California Food Safety Act, which bans several additives common in processed foods, might affect companies’ food formulations nationwide
• Economic and other logistical challenges for companies adjusting for the California Food Safety Act and the feasibility of achieving compliance by the January 2027 deadline
• Other food additives and packaging chemicals under increasing scrutiny that companies may want to begin addressing in their products in light of class-action lawsuits
• Precedents set by the California Food Safety Act for other states to enact similar bans and for consumer beliefs to more heavily influence food law
• How the California Food Safety Act may be influencing the conversation around food additives legislation at FDA, evidenced by recent statements from the agency about two chemicals banned by the legislation
• The likelihood of industry lobbying and litigation in response to the California Food Safety Act, and the responses already made by industry and consumer groups criticizing the precedent it sets of circumventing science-based decision-making
• Brian’s thoughts on the actual contribution of the California Food Safety Act to food safety and public health, and how the ban was shaped by advocacy groups and consumers
• The likelihood of a patchwork of state regulations following the California Food Safety Act and the need for FDA to step in to prevent conflicting food additives regulation nationwide
• Possible implications if New York Senate Bill A6424 were to pass, which is pending legislation that is nearly identical to the original draft of the California Food Safety Act.

News and Resources

News

FDA Publishes First CORE Annual Report Summarizing Foodborne Illness Outbreak Investigations [4:47]
The Incident Command System and Foodborne Illness Outbreak Investigations
Outbreak Investigations ofCyclospora cayetanensisInfections 2013–2020: Progress Made and Challenges Remaining

FDA: Reckitt/Mead Johnson Nutrition Voluntarily Recalls Certain Nutramigen Hypoallergenic Powdered Infant Formula Products [12:48]
Reckitt: Recall Alert: Select Batches of Nutramigen Powder

New Insights About Salmonella Interactions With Environmental Biofilms May Lead to Better Food Safety Strategies [17:30]

High Levels of Toxic Plasticizers Phthalates, Bisphenols Found in Nearly All Foods in U.S. [19:48]

How Leadership Style Influences Employees' Likelihood to Voice Food Safety Concerns [26:31]

Interview Resources

California Food Safety Act Signed Into Law, Officially Banning Four Toxic Additives by 2027
Following California’s Example, New York State Bill Would Ban Five Most “Pervasive and Harmful” Chemical Food Additives
FDA Proposes to Stop Allowing Brominated Vegetable Oil in Food, Says Red Dye 3 May Be Next

Register for the 2024 Food Safety Summit!
Taking place May 6–9, 2024 in Rosemont, Illinois.Register before March 31 for a 10% early bird discount rate, plus use promo code “FSMatters15” for an extra 15% off registration. Yes, that’s a total discount of 25%!

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

Sara Mortimore, M.Sc., FRSPH, MIFST, is the Vice President and Global Subject Matter Expert for Food Safety at Walmart Inc. In her role, Sara is responsible for the global development and oversight of all food safety programs, compliance, and initiatives for the company's 10,500 stores, owned manufacturing facilities, and distribution and fulfilment centers. This includes the supplier and supply chain food safety program.

Prior to joining Walmart in May 2019, Sara held the position of Vice President of Product Safety, Quality, and Regulatory Affairs with enterprise-wide responsibility at Land O'Lakes Inc. In this capacity, she covered both human and animal foods and supported nonprofit international development work.

Sara began her career with Glaxo SmithKline as a Research Technologist in research and development. In 1989, she joined Grand Metropolitan Foods, which later became Pillsbury and was subsequently incorporated by General Mills Inc. There, she held various roles leading supply chain food safety, quality, and regulatory teams in international markets.

Sara is also the co-author of several successful books, book chapters, and papers on Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points (HACCP) and food safety management. She has served on the board of trustees for the Royal Society of Public Health and is a Steering Committee member of the Global Food Safety Initiative (GFSI). Sara also serves on the Educational Advisory Board of the Food Safety Summit.

In this episode of Food Safety Matters, we speak with Sara [3:53] about:

• The challenges and opportunities she has experienced throughout her career overseeing food safety at the world’s largest retailer, as well as major-brand food companies
• Lessons learned during Walmart’s testing phase of its Product Design Hazard Analysis (PDHA) program, a food safety program for private-label suppliers that was launched in 2022 and is now being rebranded as the Strive for Excellence program
• Walmart’s tech-driven efforts to improve food safety assurance and steps the company is taking to enable greater control over its supply chain
• Walmart’s “one global team” approach to food safety culture, and how Sara and her team works to instill this culture across the company and its supply chain, as well as how the success of these food safety culture efforts are measured
• Walmart’s membership with the Alliance to Stop Foodborne Illness, and how Sara and the company work to demonstrate to consumers that food safety is a priority for Walmart
• Challenges Sara has experienced throughout her career when it comes to ensuring that supplier HACCP plans are adequate, especially when suppliers may span the globe and have access to different resources and technologies
• Sara’s views on the most crucial food safety issues for the retail sector and food industry to address in the near- and long-term.

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Please send us your questions and suggestions [email protected]

In this episode of Food Safety Matters, we review the top food safety stories of 2023 and their implications. Specifically, we discuss:

• Developments in the U.S. Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA’s) restructuring of its Human Foods Program and Office of Regulatory Affairs
• Ongoing concerns around infant formula safety and supply, including new regulations and guidelines, and how the crisis served as the catalyst for the reorganization of FDA's Human Foods Program
• New allergen guidances delivered by authorities worldwide and growing global concern over industry compliance with food allergen requirements, as well as U.S. industry’s unexpected response to the FASTER Act, which added sesame as the ninth major allergen
• Industry’s ongoing efforts to comply with FDA's Final Food Traceability Rule, which goes into effect in January 2026
• The battle over food additives legislation in the U.S. at the state level and FDA’s efforts to get ahead of a possible regulatory patchwork
• The growing concern with per- and polyfluoralkyl substances (PFAS) contamination in drinking water, food, the environment, and human bodies, leading to restrictions being placed on the use of these “forever chemicals” in food packaging and other applications
• The state of retail foodservice safety in the U.S.—especially in light of FDA releasing a new version of the Food Code—and in other countries
• The release of the Netflix documentary Poisoned, which put food safety in a unique spotlight, sparking conversations and debate among industry and consumers alike.

News and Resources

Reorganization of FDA’s Human Foods Program [6:05]

• New Stakeholder Coalition Formed to Advocate for Effective FDA Human Foods Program
• FDA Announces Appointment of Jim Jones as First Deputy Commissioner for Human Foods
• Latest Update on FDA Human Foods Reorganization Reveals Major Changes to ORA
• Frank Yiannas to Resign as FDA’s Deputy Commissioner of Food Policy and Response
• Food Safety Priorities—Your Thoughts on FDA's Proposed Reorganization (Food Safety Insights column from Food Safety Magazine)

Ongoing Concerns Around Infant Formula [14:21]

• FDA Updates Infant Formula Compliance Program, Puts Emphasis on Cronobacter, Salmonella
• FDA Updates on Prevention Strategy for Cronobacter Contamination of Infant Formula
• Cronobacter to be Added to the List of Nationally Notifiable Diseases
• FDA Releases Review of Response to Infant Formula Supply Crisis, Addresses Improvements
• After Finding Cronobacter, FDA Issues Warning Letters to Three Infant Formula Manufacturers
• FDA Asks Infant Formula Industry to Double-Check Food Safety Controls
• DOJ Criminally Investigates Abbott Nutrition After Fatal Outbreak Linked to Infant Formula

Global Focus on Allergens and on Sesame in the U.S. [22:31]

• FDA Updates Guidance to Address Food Manufacturers Circumventing Allergen Cross-Contact Requirements for Sesame
• FDA Revises Labeling Requirements in Guidance Documents to Include Sesame as Major Allergen
• Most Major Food Allergen Recalls Caused by Preventable Labeling Errors, Study Finds
• FAO/WHO Recommend Uniform Precautionary Allergen Labeling as Codex Develops Guidance
• UK FSA Updates Guidance on Precautionary Allergen Labeling, Clarifies “Vegan” vs. “Free-From”
• Milk Causes Most Food Allergen Recalls in UK, Study Finds
• Sweden to Develop a National Strategy for Food Allergies
• One in Four Swedish Restaurants Provide Incorrect Allergen Information
• 6 of 10 Dutch Businesses Not Providing Adequate Allergen Information for Non-Prepacked Foods
• Food Allergy Canada Releases Allergen Management Guidelines, Focus on Labeling
• Ma and D’lima: How FDA Enforces Allergen Requirements and Recalls to Ensure Food Safety (Food Safety Matters podcast)
• Beat the Recall: Effective Allergen Control in Food Manufacturing (Food Safety Magazine webinar)
• Safely Serving All: Allergen Control and Response in Retail Foodservice (Food Safety Magazine webinar)

FDA Food Traceability Final Rule Compliance Efforts [32:03]

• FDA Releases Guidance for Sprout Operations Under Produce Safety Rule, States FSMA 204 Inspections Will Begin 2027
• FDA Releases FSMA 204 FAQs, Tools, Resources
• FDA Releases Small Business Compliance Guide for FSMA Traceability Rule
• FDA Goes In-Depth About FSMA Food Traceability Final Rule
• CAST, IFT Publish Traceability Issue Paper to Help Industry Improve Food Safety
• GS1 US Publishes Food Traceability Final Rule Guidance
• Digitized Supply Chains Deliver Improved Visibility, Traceability, and Happy Customers
• How the Food Traceability Rule will Impact Food Processors—Part 1 (Food Safety Insights column from Food Safety Magazine)
• How the Food Traceability Rule will Impact Food Processors—Part 2 (Food Safety Insights column from Food Safety Magazine)
• Friedlander and Lasprogata: FDA and Industry Perspectives on FSMA 204 (Food Safety Matters podcast)
• Ep. 158. Harris and Grantham: How Food Processors are Preparing to Meet FSMA 204 Traceability Requirements (Food Safety Matters podcast)

Food Additives Legislation [40:20]

• California Food Safety Act Signed Into Law, Officially Banning Four Toxic Additives by 2027
• Following California’s Example, New York State Bill Would Ban Five Most “Pervasive and Harmful” Chemical Food Additives
• Study Supports Food Safety of Titanium Dioxide, Addresses Data Gaps
• FDA Proposes to Stop Allowing Brominated Vegetable Oil in Food, Says Red Dye 3 May Be Next

Retail Foodservice Safety [49:55]

• FDA Releases 2022 Food Code
• Pennsylvania, Mississippi First to Adopt 2022 Version of FDA Food Code, According to Status Report
• 40 Percent of Retail Foodborne Illness Outbreaks Linked to Sick Employees, Says CDC
• CDC Study Highlights Restaurant Characteristics Most Associated With Food Cross-Contamination
• USDA-FSIS Updates Guidance for Controlling Listeria in Delis
• EU Study Reveals Barriers to and Benefits of Adopting Digital Technologies for Retail Food Safety Inspections
• Australia Updates Food Safety Standards for Foodservice, Retail Sector
• WHO Releases Manual for Improving Safety of Traditional Food Markets
• Ep. 154. Guzzle, Ham, Lewis, Pierce: 30th Anniversary and Ongoing Implementation of FDA's Food Code (Food Safety Matters podcast)
• Ep. 151. Pierce, Morales, and Quam: Behavioral Science of Food Safety in Small-Scale Retail Foodservice (Food Safety Matters podcast)
• Pierce, Chapman, and Zimmerman: The Behavioral Science of Retail Food Safety Culture (Food Safety Matters podcast)
• Retail Sector Faces "New Era" of Food Safety Regulatory Focus (FSM eDigest feature article)
• Current States of Food Safety Culture and FSMSs in Food Establishments (Food Safety Magazine cover story)
• New Uses for Existing Technologies to Reduce the Risk of Persistent Pathogens on Surfaces in Retail Foodservice (Food Safety Magazine column)
• Food Safety Leadership in the Business of Food Safety (digital book)

PFAS Concerns and Restrictions [59:04]

• EPA to Regulate Certain PFAS as Contaminants, Set Limits in Drinking Water
• Half of U.S. Drinking Water Contaminated by Toxic PFAS, Reports USGS
• EPA Releases First Dataset for Three-Year Project Monitoring PFAS, Lithium in U.S. Drinking Water
• FDA Provides Updates on PFAS Testing, Research
• PFAS Found in Eggs Laid by Hens that are Fed Contaminated Feed
• Study Shows “Significant Risk of Exposure” to PFAS from Food, Pesticide Packaging
• One Serving of Freshwater Fish Equivalent to Drinking PFAS-Contaminated Water for a Month, U.S. Study Finds
• “Safer” PFAS Types Used in Food Packaging Still Hazardous, Study Finds
• 3M Will Stop PFAS Manufacturing by the End of 2025
• Sabert Commits to Eliminating PFAS from All Products by End of 2023
• Study Suggests Strong Link Between PFAS Consumption and Thyroid Cancer; No End to PFAS Exposure in Sight
• Study Associates Exposure to Multiple PFAS with Metabolic, Thyroid Harm
• Minnesota Poised to Ban Nearly All Uses of PFAS
• EU Sets Limits for PFAS in Certain Foods
• Experts Urge Overhaul of UK Standards for PFAS in Drinking Water, Report Concerning Levels of Contamination
• PFAS in Food Packaging: Is it Time to Consider a Change? (Food Safety Magazine column)

Netflix’s Poisoned Documentary [1:09:30]

• Poisoned—Book on Prominent Foodborne Illness Outbreak—Getting New Edition, Netflix Documentary
• Ep. 153. Dr. Darin Detwiler: Reflections on Netflix's Poisoned and 30 Years of Food Safety Advocacy (Food Safety Matters podcast)
• Ep. 128. Bill Marler: Perspectives on Poi

Sherry Brice, M.B.A. is Chief Supply Chain Officer at W.K. Kellogg Co. She was formerly Vice President of Global Quality and Food Safety at the Kellogg Company, overseeing end-to-end food safety and quality for Kellogg's internal and external network. Sherry has over 20 years of experience in the industry and joined Kellogg in 2012 as part of the Pringles acquisition from Procter & Gamble. She has served in numerous supply chain roles in the company, ranging from operations to quality.

Sherry is on the SSAFE board of directors and is affiliated with a number of other industry associations such as Stop Foodborne Illness, where she is an Alliance member. Sherry is also the Executive Sponsor for the Kellogg African American Resource Group (KAARG). Sherry holds M.B.A. and B.S. degrees in Business Management and is a member of the Golden Key International Honors Society.

In this episode of Food Safety Matters, we speak with Sherry [26:37] about:

• Her career spanning food safety, supply chain, and customer service roles at global food production companies, and how the lessons she has learned in each position have built upon one another
• A holistic approach that food industry professionals should apply to their work to carve a path into high-level business leadership
• How to “connect the dots” between food safety and quality assurance (FSQA) and supply chain operations by communicating the value of food safety to a business
• How to communicate and engage with teams throughout a business to ensure that food safety is a priority to all functions
• Ways to balance big-picture projects that drive business innovation with detail-oriented tasks that keep a supply chain running smoothly
• Qualities that help business leaders earn respect and equip them to make tough but necessary decisions.

News and Resources

Adoption of New Food Safety Standards at 46^th Session of Codex Alimentarius Commission [9:36]
Cantaloupes Contaminated With Salmonella Sicken More Than 100 People in U.S. and Canada, Cause Deaths [12:40]
Outbreak Insights: "What Was Not Learned from the FDA Investigation of Salmonella on Cantaloupe in 2022?" From Food Safety Magazine December ‘23/January ‘24
IFSAC 2021 Foodborne Illness Source Attribution Report Shows Salmonellosis Caused by Variety of Foods [16:38]
FDA Publishes Redundancy Risk Management Plan Guide for Producers of Critical Foods [22:16]
FDA Releases New Resources for Food Traceability Final Rule Compliance [23:14]

Sponsored by:

Michigan State University Online Food Safety Program

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Matt Brosseau founded Path Forward Consulting LLC in early 2022 after spending a decade working as an engineer and operations manager in the powdered infant formula industry. He has spent the majorityof his career installing and qualifying equipment manufacturing facilities for tools utilized in the manufacture and packaging of FDA-regulatedproducts. Matt is also a U.S. Army veteran, and served as an officer in the Vermont Army National Guard for 11 years. Before hanging up his uniform, he served as the Company Commander of a Combat Engineer Unit and was deployed to Africa in support of Operation Enduring Freedom. Matt earned a degree in MechanicalEngineering from Clarkson University in 2014, and maintains several professional certificates in commissioning from the continuing education extensionof the University of Wisconsin, Madison.

In this episode of Food Safety Matters, we speak with Matt [1:59] about:

• The origins of, need for, and services offered by Path Forward Consulting
• Equipment qualifications and why it is important for food processors to understand them
• Why food safety and quality assurance professionals should be concerned about equipment qualifications
• Crucial aspects of equipment qualifications and what they mean to food processors
• How food safety and quality professionals can support the equipment qualification process
• How listeners can reach out to Matt for expert guidance on equipment qualifications to ensure smooth equipment operation for food safety and quality.

Sponsored by:

Path Forward Consulting

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Please send us your questions and suggestions to [email protected]

Blake Harris, CSCP, is a specialist in standards and process enhancement, digital solution development, and implementation, with more than a decade of experience in supply chain-related functions within the private sector and at non-governmental organizations (NGOs). He places high value on tackling complex issues to create efficient and uncomplicated solutions. As the Technical Director at the Institute of Food Technologists' Global Food Traceability Center (IFT’s GFTC), his focus centers on enhancing data digitization in food systems, which involves collaborative efforts with a diverse range of stakeholders from industry, government, and NGO sectors.

Alison Grantham, Ph.D., is a consultant who brings a rigorous, practical approach to her work with public and private sector organizations to improve the food system.Alison focuses on helping her clients develop data-driven tools and programs to define and achieve goals to enhance food and agriculture. She has worked closely with IFT's Global Food Traceability Center since 2019, developing the Global Dialogue in Seafood Traceability (GDST) standards, among other traceability initiatives. Prior to consulting, she led food systems research and development, and then food procurement, at an $800-million revenue e-commerce food company. Previously, she led Penn State Extension's beginning farmer training program and directed research at the Rodale Institute. Alison currently serves on the Rodale Institute's Board of Directors and the National Academy of Sciences' Committee to advise the U.S. Global Change Research Program, the body that oversees climate and other global change research across the 14 federal agencies.

In this episode of Food Safety Matters, we speak with Blake and Allison [35:05] about:

• IFT traceability experts’ observations over the past year regarding industry preparation to comply with FSMA 204 in 2026
• Advances in traceability initiatives and technology, especially low-cost/no-cost technologies promoted by FDA, to assist industry compliance
• Advice for companies that have not made much progress in compliance efforts on how they can get started
• Advice for companies that have made strides toward assuring compliance on how they can ensure they are on track to fully meet FSMA regulations by January 2026
• How worldwide adoption of Global Dialogue on Seafood Traceability (GDST) standards has been facilitated, tools offered to help the seafood industry comply with GDST standards, and how GDST standards are influenced by FSMA 204
• Ways in which FSMA 204 compliance will benefit public health and food safety
• How FSMA 204 can help optimize individual company and entire supply chain operations.

News and Resources

CDC Study Highlights Restaurant Characteristics Most Associated With Food Cross-Contamination [2:24]
Study Shows Potential of Antimicrobial Blue Light for Listeria Inactivation in Food Processing Plants [8:49]
WHO Provides Step-by-Step Guide on Use of WGS for Foodborne Illness Surveillance, Response [13:18]
FDA Clarifies "In-Shell Product" Definition and Requirements for Shellfish per 2022 Food Code [18:08]

IFT Global Food Traceability Center

Sponsored by:

Wiliot

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Justyce Jedlickaserves 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. in Chemistry and an M.B.A. 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.

Andrew Lienau is the Food Regulatory and Validation Senior Expert at MilliporeSigma. He has over 30 years of work experience in the fields of microbiology, assay development, and certification processes for pathogen detection in food. He is a member of the Expert Review Panel for AOAC International Official Methods Analysis (OMA), the Technical Board for MicroVal, and several working groups for ISO.

In this episode of Food Safety Matters, we speak with Justyce and Andrew [2:12] about:

• The threats posed by Cronobacter to food safety and public health, and the key challenges food manufacturers face in preventing Cronobacter contamination
• Why it was important for MilliporeSigma to develop a Cronobacter detection method, and how their product, Assurance® GDS, can help in the detection and control of the pathogen
• How MilliporeSigma has demonstrated that its assay is robust and effective
• The current industry standards and regulations related to Cronobacter control, and how Assurance® GDS supports compliance with these requirements
• Where listeners can find additional information on MilliporeSigma products and services.

Sponsored by:
MilliporeSigma

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Please send us your questions and suggestions to [email protected]

Kathy Knutson, Ph.D., PCQI, is the Founder of Kathy Knutson Food Safety Consulting LLC, an author, and the Chair of the Education Committee for the National Cannabis Industry Association (NCIA), with expertise in the fields of bacteriology, food science, and education. She speaks, writes, and trains on U.S. Food and Drug Administration Food Safety Modernization Act (FDA FSMA) compliance, and has also trained over 500 Preventive Controls Qualified Individuals (PCQIs) throughout her career. Dr. Knutson works with managers to help them write thorough hazard analyses, food safety plans, recall plans, environmental monitoring programs, and allergen programs. Additionally, Dr. Knutson travels to manufacturers to conduct swabbing to locate pathogens during recall investigations, as well as for gap assessments of Good Manufacturing Practices (GMPs) for cannabis-infused edibles. In 2020, she published her book, titled, Food Safety Lessons for Cannabis-Infused Edibles.

In this episode of Food Safety Matters, we speak with Dr. Knutson [48:30] about:

• How she became interested in food safety for cannabis-infused edibles and beverages, and the challenges she faced in transitioning to the cannabis industry
• Her work with NCIA, as well as with the ASTM International D37 Cannabis committee, where she is helping write the first GMP international standard for the cannabis industry
• The need for proper packaging and labeling to ensure the safety of cannabis-infused products, particularly in preventing underage use, as well as the importance of designing the products themselves to be unattractive to children
• How the patchwork of state regulations for cannabis complicates trade and testing, and the potential for future federal regulation of cannabis edibles as either foods or supplements
• The importance of implementing GMPs, HACCP plans, and preventive controls when producing cannabis-infused goods to prepare for potential federal regulation
• The need for training and recruitment of experienced individuals in the cannabis industry and the benefits of having dedicated quality assurance managers, as well as the advantages of having multiple Preventive Controls Qualified Individuals (PCQIs) in a food company or facility.

Before our interview with Dr. Knutson, we also hear from Hal King, Ph.D. [3:42], the Editor of Food Safety Leadership in the Business of Food Safety, which is a new digital book published by Food Safety Magazine that serves as a resource for the retail foodservice industry. The book defines and models food safety business leadership from the perspective of top food safety business leaders at best-in-class retail foodservice operations.

News and Resources

News Stories and Related Items

New Stakeholder Coalition Formed to Advocate for Effective FDA Human Foods Program [18:52]

FDA Deputy Commissioner Jones Discusses Future of Human Foods Program Under His Leadership [20:41]

• FDA Proposes to Stop Allowing Brominated Vegetable Oil in Food, Says Red Dye 3 May Be Next
• “Food Safety Culture Collaboration: Are Regulators Adapting and Catching Up?” by Lone Jespersen, Ph.D., Rounaq Nayak, Ph.D., and Anne-Mette Olsen D.V.M., M.V.P.H. for Food Safety Magazine October/November 2023

California Passes Law Requiring Tests for Toxic Heavy Metals in Baby Foods, Disclosure of Results [34:02]

FAO/WHO Establishes Recommended Threshold Values for Allergens in Foods [37:12]

FAO/WHO Expert Committee Conducts Review of Foodborne Viruses to Support Codex Guidance Updates [38:56]

FDA Publishes Results of FY 2021 Pesticide Residue Sampling Program for Foods [43:44]

NACMCF’s Report to FDA on Cyclospora in Produce Mentions Two Proposed Species that are Parasitic to Humans [44:28]

• “Outbreak Investigations of Cyclospora cayetanensis Infections 2013–2020: Progress Made and Challenges Remaining” by Stelios Viazis Ph.D., Fazila Shakir M.H.S., Anne Straily D.V.M., Adrienne Goodrich-Doctor Ph.D., Jeffery L. Sumter Dr.P.H., and Socrates Trujillo Ph.D. for Food Safety Magazine April/May 2022

Interview-Related Items

“Packaging and Labeling Requirements for Cannabis-Infused Edibles” by Kathy Knutson, Ph.D., PCQI for Food Safety Magazine August/September 2023

The New Digital Book Edited by Hal King, Ph.D. and Published by Food Safety Magazine

Food Safety Leadership in the Business of Food Safety (FREE download)

Food Safety Magazine Webinars

Beat the Recall: Effective Allergen Control in Food Manufacturing (Available for on-demand replay)

Safely Serving All: Allergen Control and Response in Retail Foodservice (Live on December 12, 2023)

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Please send us your questions and suggestions [email protected]

Yinqing Ma, Ph.D., is the Director of Compliance Policy Staff in the Office of Compliance at the U.S. Food and Drug Administration's Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition (FDA’s CFSAN). Dr. Ma leads the development and implementation of compliance policies, initiatives, and programs for CFSAN-regulated products. She also co-leads food allergens and economic adulteration initiatives at CFSAN. Dr. Ma received her B.S. and M.S. degrees and her Ph.D. in Food Science from Cornell University.

Carol D’lima, Ph.D., is a Food Technologist in the Division of Food Labeling and Standards in the Office of Nutrition and Food Labeling at FDA’s CFSAN. She is the subject matter expert working on allergen and gluten-free labeling issues. She develops all related regulations, guidances, and technical documents, and responds to relevant inquiries from stakeholders in these areas. She has served in her current role for nearly a decade. Dr. D’lima received her B.S and M.S. degrees at Purdue University and her Ph.D. in Food Science from North Carolina State University.

In this episode of Food Safety Matters, we speak with Dr. Ma and Dr. D’lima [3:17] about:

• Key takeaways from FDA’s recent analysis of allergen recalls of regulated products from 2013–2019, such as common causes for allergen recalls and prominent food allergens involved in recalls
• The failure mechanisms that contribute to labeling errors for allergens, and how can companies address them
• The number and causes of recalls seen by FDA since sesame became an official major food allergen under the FASTER Act
• Ways in which FDA is addressing the practice of food companies intentionally adding sesame to their recipes and product labels to circumvent the need to conduct cross-contact controls
• FDA’s methods for enforcing food allergen requirements
• FDA’s future plans for research into allergens and allergen recalls trends post-2019.

Resources

Most Major Food Allergen Recalls Caused by Preventable Labeling Errors, Study Finds

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