John Butts Ph.D.

Although trends in Listeria monocytogenes outbreaks are important, it is more concerning that these outbreaks continue to occur despite industry efforts. This article explores the underlying causes of persistent L. monocytogenes outbreaks and emphasizes the need for leadership behaviors outside of food safety to transform organizational culture to eradicate or control L. monocytogenes.  

At the 2023 Food Safety Summit, a dynamic workshop brought together leading experts to introduce the concepts, methods, and different tools of root cause analysis (RCA). Participants learned how to dig into systems and find meaningful data to identify the root causes of issues develop impactful solutions that prevent problems from recurring. An RCA session at the 2024 Summit will further explore these concepts. This article discusses applied RCA and the Food Safety Summit associated education offered on this topic.

This article will lend context to ensuring that the right food safety behaviors and practices are properly transferred from "those who know" to "those who need to know." The suggestions and tenets shared in this article are founded on proven scientific principles and actions, and on instincts honed by long-term experience in the food business. The authors will share best practices to increase an organization's effectiveness at planning for, and executing, the transfer of experience and skills from one generation to the next.