In this BONUS episode of Food Safety Matters, representatives from Neogen and AOAC INTERNATIONAL discuss the benefits of having testing methods and kits independently approved and certified.

You will learn all about the beginnings of AOAC INTERNATIONAL, how the organization has evolved, and what it means for a company within the food industry to be an affiliate member. 

To help us better understand why AOAC INTERNATIONAL membership is a plus, our editorial director, Barbara Van Renterghem, spoke with two experts from both sides of the fence.

Dave Schmidt is AOAC INTERNATIONAL's new executive director as of May 1, 2018. Prior to joining AOAC, he was principal consultant for Schmidt Commonwealth Strategies, LLC. From 2006 to 2015, he served as president CEO of the International Food Information Council (IFIC) and CEO of the IFIC Foundation in Washington, D.C. He joined IFIC in 1993 and held positions from director to executive vice president prior to being elected CEO. Dave also served as the first Bush Administration's director of external affairs for the U.S. Department of Agriculture Food Safety and Inspection Service where he addressed food safety and nutrition issues and managed the inspection agency’s media, legislative, and consumer education programs. He also gained a thorough understanding of the food industry in previous sales positions with Oscar Mayer Foods, Pepsi-Cola USA, and Canada Dry Corp. He holds a B.A. in business administration from Vanderbilt University, and completed graduate business studies at the University of New Orleans. He has also served the Town of Leesburg, VA, as a town council member.

Dr. Robert Donofrio is the director of food safety research and development for Neogen. He joined Neogen in February of 2016, responsible for the strategic vision, resource management, and coordination of product development activities for the following laboratory groups: Immunodiagnostics, Biochemistry, Neogen Culture Media, Molecular biology, Pathogen Detection and General Microbiology. Dr. Donofrio also oversees the Neogen Validation laboratory which is responsible for performing internal product validation and coordinating third-party product certification and approval through groups such as AOAC, AFNOR, Health Canada, and MicroVal. Dr. Donofrio is also responsible for establishing key collaborations with university and private research centers as well as evaluating novel technologies for potential integration into Neogen’s product portfolio. Prior to Neogen, Dr. Donofrio spent 16 years at NSF International, a public health and safety company.  During his tenure at NSF, Dr. Donofrio served as the director of the microbiology lab for over a decade, and then as director of the Applied Research Center for his final 3 years. He was awarded the NSF Star Employee Award in March of 2001 (was nominated for the same award in 2008), and guided his laboratory to the 2006 NSF Team of the Year Award.

Dr. Donofrio obtained his B.S. in biology from the University of Dayton in 1994 and his M.S. in environmental microbiology from Duquesne University in 1996, where he was named Graduate Student of the Year.  Dr. Donofrio obtained his doctoral degree in microbiology from Michigan Technological University in May 2009.  

Dr. Donofrio has authored dozens of publications for peer-reviewed journals, trade journals, and training materials. He is a full member of the International Association for Food Protection, Society of Industrial Microbiology and Biotechnology (SIMB), AOAC, American Society for Microbiology, Institute of Food Technology, and the American Association for the Advancement of Science.  He has served on the Board of Directors at SIMB for two terms. 

In this episode, we speak to Neogen and AOAC INTERNATIONAL about:

• AOAC's history, mission, and funding
• Future growth opportunities in microbiological testing, dietary supplements, and cannabis
• Benefits of being an affiliate member
• Method validations offered by AOAC, and options for proprietary methods
• AOAC's laboratory proficiency testing program
• Performance tested methods program vs. official methods of analysis program
• The importance of AOAC approval to an affiliate member
• The process of getting a testing method or kit approved by AOAC
• Deciding which products will and will not go through the AOAC approval process
• Global harmonization efforts
• Education and training efforts, particularly for the new generation of scientists
• What it's like to partner with AOAC

Sponsored by:

Resources
AOAC Performance Tested Methods^SM (PTM) Program

AOAC Official Methods of Analysis^SM(OMA) Program

AOAC INTERNATIONAL 

ANSR® Listeria Right Now™ 

Neogen Food Safety

Shannon Sked, Ph.D., BCE is an entomologist and the National Technical Director at Orkin. He received a B.S. degree from Rutgers University, an M.S. degree in Entomology from Penn State University, and a Ph.D. from Rutgers' Urban IPM Entomology lab. Dr. Sked's research focuses on distribution and temporal modeling of insect and rodent communities in order to design effective pest management programs. He began his career as a Navy Entomologist overseeing structural pests, specifically focusing on pests related to imports, exports, and within the logistics chain for Navy operations. He had the unique opportunity to practice applied entomology and invasive species management in the Middle East, North Africa, the Caribbean, and the eastern shore of the U.S.  

Michael Ciepiela is Vice President of Quality and Continuous Improvement at Southern Specialties. He brings over a decade of diverse experience in the food and beverage industry, along with experience in the pharmaceutical sector, specializing in quality assurance and food safety. Throughout his career, he has excelled in multi-site implementation and adherence to GFSI requirements and regulations. Michael has also been instrumental in promoting and educating Lean Six Sigma principles in fast-paced, cross-departmental settings. As a recognized thought leader, he frequently speaks at national conferences. He is also a senior member of the American Society for Quality (ASQ). Michael holds a bachelor's degree in Biology from Alfred University and a Six Sigma Master Black Belt from Villanova University.

Mindy Brashears, Ph.D. is the U.S. Department of Agriculture's (USDA's) Under Secretary for Food Safety. She previously served as Under Secretary for Food Safety from 2020–2021, and Deputy Under Secretary in 2019. Dr. Brashears returns to USDA from Texas Tech University, where she was a Paul Whitfield Horn Distinguished Professor of Food Safety and Public Health, the Roth and Letch Family Endowed Chair for Food Safety, and the Director of the International Center for Food Industry Excellence.

Carmen Rottenberg is a leader in food safety and agriculture policy, serving as Managing Director of Groundswell Strategy a Board Member for the Partnership for Food Safety Education. Prior to launching Groundswell Strategy, Carmen served as Administrator of USDA's Food Safety and Inspection Service. Over her 13 years with USDA, Carmen held several leadership roles and was credited with spearheading key agency initiatives including modernizing food safety inspection systems and establishing and updating pathogen performance standards. Carmen has extensive experience achieving collaboration across federal, state, and municipal agencies including with the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), with state departments of agriculture and across USDA's 29 agencies and offices.

Jules Shepard is the CEO and Founder of gfJules, the number-one‑voted gluten‑free flour and baking mixes company in the United States. A recognized gluten‑free baking expert, she has authored three award‑winning books in the field and recently released a new cookbook dedicated to gluten‑free bread. A long‑standing and respected leader in the gluten‑free and food allergy community, Jules championed the gluten‑free food labeling movement in 2011. Her tireless advocacy, education, and lobbying efforts culminated in her receiving the first‑ever "Gluten Free Person of the Decade" award in 2020.

Lily Yasuda is the Deputy Director of the Alliance to Stop Foodborne Illness, where she leads national initiatives that bring together food industry leaders to strengthen food safety culture and support continuous learning across the sector.

Athenais Boeffard is a collaborative and people-focused production leader with over a decade of experience in food manufacturing and food safety. 

John Boyce has over 45 years of experience in various aspects of food production, food safety, quality assurance, sanitation, training, and auditing. 

Rhodes Yepsen joined the Biodegradable Products Institute (BPI) in 2015, where he leads the organization's efforts to promote the value of compostable products. Rhodes is passionate about systems-based solutions, where there is synergy in solving for food waste and packaging simultaneously—addressing climate change, ecosystem impacts, and regenerative agriculture. Previously, he served on the Board of USCC, worked for biopolymer producer Novamont, and was a staff editor and writer at BioCycle magazine.