In this episode of Food Safety Matters, we interview Deborah Blum, author of The Poison Squad, which chronicles the passage of the 1906 Pure Food and Drug Act and the work of its primary advocate, Dr. Harvey Wiley. Deborah discusses her most shocking discoveries about the 19th century diet, how the political and scientific landscape shaped food industry regulations, the role that media played in disseminating Dr. Wiley’s findings, and themes that can be observed from the events of The Poison Squad that are still relevant today.
We also spoke to Larry Keener, President and CEO of International Product Safety Consultants Inc., to get an industry professional’s point of view on the events of The Poison Squad, the evolution of food safety since that time, and the book’s themes that are still relevant today.
For National Food Safety Education Month, Food Safety Magazine will be hosting a series of special webinars and podcasts featuring U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) officials, industry leaders, authors, and other noteworthy guests to discuss the New Era of Smarter Food Safety, food safety management systems (FSMS) for foodservice establishments, and significant books on the history of food safety, as well as interviews discussing the Jack-in-the-Box E. coli outbreak of 1993.
