Food Safety
search
cart
facebook twitter linkedin
  • Sign In
  • Create Account
  • Sign Out
  • My Account
Food Safety
  • NEWS
    • Latest News
    • 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
    • ENEWSLETTER >
      • Archive Issues
      • Subscribe to eNews
    • Store
    • Sponsor Insights
  • WEBINARS
  • FOOD SAFETY SUMMIT
  • EMAG
    • eMagazine
    • Archive Issues
    • Editorial Advisory Board
    • Contact
    • Advertise
  • SIGN UP!
Food Safety Matters

Ep. 45. David Acheson: The Challenges of Communicating Food Safety to Consumers

Food Safety Matters
March 26, 2019

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.

Subscribe on Apple Podcasts | Stitcher | Google Play | Android

In this episode of Food Safety Matters, we speak to David [32:48] about:

  • The food industry's hesitation about speaking openly about food safety and the science behind it
  • Consumers' lack of trust and understanding when it comes to food science
  • How the media plays a role in shaping consumer attitudes about food safety
  • Scientists and their traditional lack of ability to effectively communicate with consumers 
  • The state of food safety today vs. years/decades ago
  • Why it makes sense that today's food supply is safe despite an increasing number of recalls and outbreaks
  • Balancing science, public health, consumer demand, and marketing messages
  • The top misperceptions that consumers have about food

We also speak with Hilary Thesmar (Food Marketing Institute) and Shelley Feist (The Partnership for Food Safety Education) [12:03] about:

  • The recent 2019 Consumer Food Safety Education Conference
  • How food processors and manufacturers benefit from the conference 
  • How consumer food safety messaging is continuously improving
  • Consumer behavior that goes against standard food safety practices
  • Support from BAC Fighters

Articles by David Acheson in Food Safety Magazine
Why Don't We Learn More from Our Mistakes?
Industry Perspectives of Proposed FSMA Rule on Preventive Controls

News Mentioned in This Episode
USDA FSIS Issues Meat Industry Best Practices for Responding to Customer Complaints [2:34] 
Bumble Bee Tuna Using Blockchain Technology to Trace Fish Origin for Consumers [4:55] 
Strawberries, Spinach, and Kale Top 2019 Dirty Dozen List [8:14]

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 you know you! Here are a few ways to be in touch with us.

  • Email us at podcast@food-safety.com
  • Record a voice memo on your phone and email it to us at podcast@food-safety.com

Author(s): Staff

Share This Story

Looking for a reprint of this article?
From high-res PDFs to custom plaques, order your copy today!

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...
    Contamination 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...
    Facilities
    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...
    Best Practices
    By: Maria Cristina Tirado Ph.D., D.V.M. and Shamini Albert Raj M.A.
Subscribe For Free!
  • eMagazine Subscription
  • Subscribe to eNewsletter
  • 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
  • Deli Salads
    Sponsored byCorbion

    How Food Safety is Becoming the Ultimate Differentiator in Refrigerated and Prepared Foods

Popular Stories

Scientist inspecting food substance with microscope

FDA Announces ‘Proactive’ Post-Market Chemical Review Program to Keep Food Supply Safe

Top view of several sandwiches

FDA Provides Update on Listeria Outbreak Related to Products of Fresh & Ready Foods LLC

FSM podcast

Ep. 193. Christian Ararat: A Global Perspective on Auditing, Certifications, AI, and Beyond

Events

June 12, 2025

Additive Bans Ahead: Your Guide to Avoiding Risk and Maintaining Agility

Live: June 12, 2025 at 12:00 pm EDT: From this webinar, attendees will learn how ingredient bans will impact product development, labeling, and sourcing.

View All

Products

Global Food Safety Microbial Interventions and Molecular Advancements

Global Food Safety Microbial Interventions and Molecular Advancements

See More Products
Environmental Monitoring Excellence eBook

Related Articles

  • Food Safety Matters

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

    See More
  • Food Safety Matters

    Ep. 132. David Acheson: A Food Safety Smorgasbord—Salmonella, Cannabis, PFAS, and More

    See More
  • Food Safety Matters

    Ep. 12. David Acheson M.D.: "No...that's a problem"

    See More
×

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

eNewsletter | Website | eMagazine

JOIN TODAY!
  • RESOURCES
    • Advertise
    • Contact Us
    • Directories
    • Store
    • Want More
  • SIGN UP TODAY
    • Create Account
    • eMagazine
    • eNewsletter
    • 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 ©2025. All Rights Reserved BNP Media.

Design, CMS, Hosting & Web Development :: ePublishing