Name: Beyond Sanitation: Understanding the Hidden System Conditions That Allow Pathogens to Persist
Start: 2026-08-06T14:00:00-04:00
End: 2027-08-06T00:00:00-04:00

Beyond Sanitation: Understanding the Hidden System Conditions That Allow Pathogens to Persist

8/6/26 2:00 pm to 8/6/27 EDT

Contact: Vania Halabou

Despite significant investments in cleaning and sanitation, environmental monitoring, and corrective and preventive action (CAPA) programs, many food manufacturers continue to experience recurring contamination events and persistent environmental pathogens.

The challenge is often not a single sanitation failure, but a combination of hidden system conditions that allow microorganisms to survive, spread, or reappear over time. Moisture management, hygienic design, air movement, traffic patterns, harborage sites, and human behaviors can all influence the effectiveness of traditional sanitation programs.

Join us to learn and discuss:

Common limitations of conventional dry and wet sanitation approaches
Why recurring contamination events may signal broader system vulnerabilities
Strategies for strengthening environmental control programs through a layered approach to pathogen management
Emerging technologies, including DHP® technology, that complement traditional sanitation programs to support continuous environmental control and proactive pathogen management in food production environments, along with real-world examples and insights from industry experts

Speakers:

Tyler Mattson, M.S., PCQI, Microbiologist, Food Vertical Leader, Synexis. Tyler Mattson is a food microbiology expert with more than 15 years of technical and business leadership experience in the food safety sector. He holds a master's degree in Food Microbiology and Safety and has a background in molecular and cellular biology. Throughout his career, Tyler has driven innovation across the food safety landscape, leading cross-functional initiatives that bridge science, operational risk management, and commercial strategy. His expertise spans food safety, research and development, risk mitigation, and technical sales, complemented by his leadership in developing groundbreaking food safety programs that prioritize consumer protection. Prior to joining Synexis, Tyler served in executive leadership roles where he led high-performing teams, built strategic partnerships, and advanced pathogen control and sanitation technologies across industry. At Synexis, Tyler works closely with food processing organizations to evaluate pathogen control strategies and integrate continuous microbial reduction technology into existing sanitation and environmental monitoring programs.

Tracy Fink, M.S., PCQI, Founder and Principal Advisor, ThinkFink Solutions LLC. Tracy Fink, M.S., PCQI, is Founder and Principal Advisor of ThinkFink Solutions LLC, where she advises executive leadership teams across the food and consumer products industries on risk mitigation, regulatory strategy, and resilient food safety system design. With more than two decades of global food safety leadership experience, Tracy has held senior roles spanning consulting, scientific policy, corporate training, and enterprise food safety strategy. Her expertise bridges operational execution and executive governance, with a particular focus on pathogen control systems, biofilm prevention strategies, environmental monitoring program design, regulatory defensibility, and complex incident response. Tracy has supported organizations through active recall events, FDA 483 response strategy, corrective action implementation, and enterprise-level risk alignment. She is also an FSPCA Lead Instructor for Foreign Supplier Verification Programs (FSVP) and a PCQI for both Human Food and Animal Food Preventive Controls. Tracy holds advanced degrees and multiple professional certifications in food safety and supply chain.

Bob Ferguson (Moderator), President, Strategic Consulting Inc. Bob Ferguson is President of Strategic Consulting Inc. and serves on the Editorial Advisory Board for Food Safety Magazine. He is also a regular columnist for FSM, writing "Food Safety Insights" articles that discuss the surveyed opinions of food processors worldwide, pertaining to various issues in food safety.

Moderator: Adrienne Blume, Editorial Director, Food Safety Magazine

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