Food Safety
search
Ask Food Safety AI
cart
facebook twitter linkedin instagram youtube
  • Sign In
  • Create Account
  • Sign Out
  • My Account
Food Safety
  • NEWS
    • Latest News
    • Sponsored Insights
    • Sponsored White Papers
  • PRODUCTS
  • TOPICS
    • Contamination Control
    • Food Types
    • Management
    • Process Control
    • Regulatory
    • Sanitation
    • Supply Chain
    • Testing and Analysis
  • PODCAST
  • EXCLUSIVES
    • Food Safety Five Newsreel
    • eBooks
    • FSM Distinguished Service Award
    • Interactive Product Spotlights
    • Videos
  • BUYER'S GUIDE
  • MORE
    • NEWSLETTERS >
      • Archive Issues
      • Subscribe to eNews
    • Store
    • ASK FSM AI
  • WEBINARS
  • FOOD SAFETY SUMMIT
  • EMAG
    • eMagazine
    • Archive Issues
    • Editorial Advisory Board
    • Contact
    • Advertise
  • SIGN UP!
Food Safety Matters

Ep. 19. National Restaurant Association: ServSafe and Beyond

Food Safety Matters
February 13, 2018

William Weichelt is in the newly created position of director, Food Safety & Industry Relations, for the National Restaurant Association (NRA) and has over 20 years of experience in the foodservice and food manufacturing sectors. 

The NRA is the largest foodservice trade association in the world by membership—supporting over 500,000 restaurant businesses. They represent and advocate for foodservice industry interests—with a focus on financial and regulatory obstacles. They also provide tools and systems that help members of all sizes get significantly better operating results as well as networking, education and research resources.

Specific to food safety their ServSafe Program provides comprehensive educational materials to the restaurant industry through face-to-face and online instruction. More than 5 million foodservice professionals have been certified through the ServSafe Food Protection Manager Certification Examination.

Subscribe on Apple Podcasts | Stitcher | Google Play | Android

In this episode of Food Safety Matters, we speak to William Weichelt about:

  • Challenges the NRA faces with the start of their new Food Safety Industry Relations department
  • NRA’s current top priorities to help the industry going forward
  • Using food safety best practices that have been applied in manufacturing to create new best practices in foodservice and hospitality
  • Working with an industry that runs the gamut—from large operators with their own systems in place to independent operators who have no food science staff or expertise
  • The challenge of figuring out what topics to educate the industry on in the short-term, based on need, from edible marijuana to implementing a food safety management system
  • NRA's training and resources offered to smaller operators who do not have food safety staff
  • Challenges related to keeping ServSafe relevant and always in line with the FDA Food Code
  • Milestones that NRA has achieved as the organization's 100th-anniversary approaches
  • The importance of having everyone in an organization from the top down involved in the implementation and maintenance of a food safety management system
  • The new Food Safety Industry Relations department's future plans to help the industry in new areas: food fraud, food defense, traceability and figuring out how to apply these topics to the restaurant level, not just to manufacturers
  • How changing trends, consumer demand and product innovations impact how the food industry operates and how it all affects the industry’s approach to food safety

Related Content and Resources
For National Food Safety Month, Restaurants Focus on Food Allergens
National Restaurant Association
ServSafe 

News Mentioned in This Episode 
The "Best .gif Ever," tweeted by the Safe Food Alliance
A Look Back at 2017 Food Recalls
Norovirus Sickens More than 100 at 2018 Winter Olympic Games
New USDA, FDA Joint Venture to Improve Food Safety Oversight and Inspection Process
Lactalis Official Statement Regarding Salmonella Tainted Baby Formula
List of Lactalis Recalled Products 
South Africa's Listeriosis Outbreak Death Toll Exceeds 100
Chicken Line Speed Changes
PCA's Remaining Appeals Denied
What's in Your Sushi?

Bob Ferguson's Food Safety Insights Articles:
Food Safety Insights: Testing and Sanitation for Allergen Control (February/March 2018) 
Food Safety Insights: Outsourcing: Pathogen Testing under the Microscope ( December 2017/January 2018)
Food Safety Insights: The New Face of Sanitation Programs: New Rules, New Challenges (October/November 2017)
Food Safety Insights: A Closer Look at Environmental Monitoring in the Processing Plant (August/September 2017)
Food Safety Insights: What Industry and FDA Are Thinking About FSMA Implementation (June/July 2017)
Food Safety Insights: The Drivers of Differences in Food Safety Testing Practices (April/May 2017)
Food Safety Insights: A Look at the Microbiology Testing Market (February/March 2017)

Share Your Feedback with Us
Please feel free to share any questions, comments or even a suggestion on someone we should interview, let us know! There are two ways for podcast listeners to interact with us.

  • Leave us a voicemail at 747-231-7630. Be sure to leave your contact information so we can get back in touch with you!
  • Email us at podcast@food-safety.com. 

Author(s): Staff

Looking for quick answers on food safety topics?
Try Ask FSM, our new smart AI search tool.
Ask FSM →

Share This Story

Recommended Content

JOIN TODAY
to unlock your recommendations.

Already have an account? Sign In

  • people holding baby chicks

    Serovar Differences Matter: Utility of Deep Serotyping in Broiler Production and Processing

    This article discusses the significance of Salmonella in...
    Microbiological Control
    By: Nikki Shariat Ph.D.
  • woman washing hands

    Building a Culture of Hygiene in the Food Processing Plant

    Everyone entering a food processing facility needs to...
    Management
    By: Richard F. Stier, M.S.
  • graphical representation of earth over dirt

    Climate Change and Emerging Risks to Food Safety: Building Climate Resilience

    This article examines the multifaceted threats to food...
    International
    By: Maria Cristina Tirado Ph.D., D.V.M. and Shamini Albert Raj M.A.
Manage My Account
  • eMagazine Subscription
  • Subscribe to Newsletters
  • Manage My Preferences
  • Website Registration
  • Subscription Customer Service

More Videos

Sponsored Content

Sponsored Content is a special paid section where industry companies provide high quality, objective, non-commercial content around topics of interest to the Food Safety Magazine audience. All Sponsored Content is supplied by the advertising company and any opinions expressed in this article are those of the author and not necessarily reflect the views of Food Safety Magazine or its parent company, BNP Media. Interested in participating in our Sponsored Content section? Contact your local rep!

close
  • Man In Warehouse
    Sponsored byRentokil

    Mitigating Hidden Rodent Risks in Food Facilities

  • an industrial manufacturing or processing facility
    Sponsored bybioMérieux

    Get Ahead of Spoilage in Food Manufacturing with Metagenomics for Preventive Monitoring

  • an automated industrial production line used in a modern food factory
    Sponsored byIFC

    A Formula for Food Processing Pest Management

Popular Stories

iceberg lettuce growing

Cyclospora Outbreak Linked to Taylor Farms Lettuce Ends with Nearly 13,000 Illnesses, Two Deaths

abbott nutrition logo wall plaque

Abbott Nutrition to Pay $385M Settlement for 2022 Infant Formula Shortage, Contamination Incident

employees checking clipboard in food manufacturing facility

Building a HACCP Program: More Than the Seven Principles

allergens ebook

Events

September 22, 2026

From EFSA to Enforcement: Managing the Growing Complexity of EU MRLs

Live: September 22, 2026 at 11:00 am EDT: Attend this webinar to evaluate best practices for monitoring regulatory changes and protecting market access.

September 24, 2026

Benchmarking Foreign Material Contamination in 2026: What the Data Shows

Live: September 24, 2026 at 2:00 pm EDT:  From this webinar, attendees will learn what is driving investment decisions, and the factors FSQA and ops leaders weigh when making the case for new prevention technology.

September 29, 2026

How to Talk to Your Board of Directors About Food Safety

Live: September 29, 2026 at 11:00 am EDT: Attend this webinar to learn how to position food safety as a material enterprise risk with measurable financial, operational, and reputational impacts relevant to Board-level decision-making.

View All

Products

Global Food Safety Microbial Interventions and Molecular Advancements

Global Food Safety Microbial Interventions and Molecular Advancements

See More Products

Related Articles

  • people working in restaraunt kitchen

    National Restaurant Association, ServSafe Offer National Food Safety Education Month Content

    See More
  • Food Safety Matters Podcast logo.png

    Food Safety Matters Podcast Interviews National Restaurant Association's William Weichelt

    See More
  • EcoLab.png

    Ecolab Helps National Restaurant Association Tackle Norovirus with Digital Campaign

    See More

Related Products

See More Products
  • 0813808774.jpg

    Improving Import Food Safety

  • 9781498762878.jpg

    Food Safety and Protection

See More Products

Related Directories

  • National Restaurant Assn.

    Developed by the industry, for the industry, ServSafe® is the industry's gold standard in supporting foodservice and hospitality operators and professionals protect guests and meet food, allergen and alcohol safety standards.
  • Elite Food Safety Training Inc.

    At Elite Food Safety Training® (EFST), we don’t just support food safety - we are the gold standard. Since 2008, EFST has partnered with organizations across the country to elevate food safety from a requirement to a competitive advantage. We are a trusted leader in training, auditing, and operational guidance, known for delivering clarity, consistency, and results in an industry where there is no margin for error.
×

Never miss the latest news and trends driving the food safety industry

Newsletters | Website | eMagazine

JOIN TODAY!
  • RESOURCES
    • Advertise
    • Contact Us
    • Directories
    • Store
    • Want More
  • SIGN UP TODAY
    • Create Account
    • eMagazine
    • Newsletters
    • Customer Service
    • Manage Preferences
  • SERVICES
    • Marketing Services
    • Reprints
    • Market Research
    • List Rental
    • Survey/Respondent Access
  • STAY CONNECTED
    • LinkedIn
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • X (Twitter)
  • PRIVACY
    • PRIVACY POLICY
    • TERMS & CONDITIONS
    • DO NOT SELL MY PERSONAL INFORMATION
    • PRIVACY REQUEST
    • ACCESSIBILITY

Copyright ©2026. All Rights Reserved BNP Media, Inc. and BNP Media II, LLC.

Design, CMS, Hosting & Web Development :: ePublishing