Michael Cramer is currently the senior director of food safety and quality assurance with Ajinomoto Windsor, Inc. He is a Safe Quality Food practitioner, an American Society for Quality-certified quality auditor, and a Preventive Controls-Qualified Individual. A graduate of West Chester University, Mike earned a B.Sc. in health science in 1977. He's been an esteemed member of Food Safety Magazine's Editorial Advisory Board since 2001.

Dane Bernard is currently the managing director of Bold Bear Food Safety where he offers consulting services. He is a registered specialist in food, dairy, and sanitation microbiology with the American Academy of Microbiology. Dane has been an instructor and lecturer on principles and applications of Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points (HACCP) and has helped to formulate HACCP plans for the U.S. food industry. Dane received an M.Sc. in food microbiology from the University of Maryland, College Park. He's also a recipient of the Food Safety Magazine Distinguished Service Award (2017).

Dr. Robert (Bob) Powitz is the principal and technical director of R.W. Powitz & Associates. There, he specializes in forensic sanitation services to industry, law firms, insurance companies, and government agencies. Bob has dedicated his career to food safety having worked for over 54 years to study, develop, and implement the most effective sanitation practices. Bob received his undergraduate education in agronomy and plant pathology from the State University of New York and the University of Georgia. He holds a M.Sc. in public health with a specialty in institutional environmental health and a Ph.D. in environmental health, with specialties in environmental microbiology and epidemiology from the University of Minnesota School of Public Health. He also has a very long list of honors including, most impressively, a spot on the Food Safety Magazine Editorial Advisory Board.

In this episode of Food Safety Matters, we speak to Mike, Dane, and Bob [32:15] about:

• Issues with staffing, especially in food manufacturing
• Education gaps, and how colleges and universities play a role in staffing the future of food safety
• How current food safety professionals can do a better job of making the industry more inviting to up-and-coming professionals
• Working with auditors and regulators
• Trends such as food delivery, meal kits, and plant-based meat

We also speak with Dr. Mindy Brashears [19:11], the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA)'s Deputy Under Secretary for Food Safety about:

• USDA's recent Food Safety Consumer Research Project: Meal Preparation Experiment Related to Poultry Washing (in partnership with RTI International and North Carolina State University)
• Study findings related to the evolution of consumer behaviors in the kitchen
• How USDA's current consumer messaging is faring, and how that messaging may change in the future
• Recommendations to prevent illness beyond USDA's Clean, Separate, Cook, Chill mantra
• Why changing consumer behavior continues to be a challenge
• Partnering with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration and the Partnership for Food Safety Education
• Opportunities to work with meat and poultry processors, and how they can assist with spreading accurate food safety messages

Mike Cramer's Articles Published in Food Safety Magazine:
Environmental Listeria Monitoring: Seek and Destroy Pathogens (December 2017/January 2018)
Allergen Management: A Personal and Professional Perspective (August/September 2016)
A Look at GMPs: How FSMA Will Change Expectations (February/March 2016)

For more articles from Mike Cramer? Access our compiled search at FoodSafetyMagazine.com

Bob Powitz's Articles Published in Food Safety Magazine:
Checking Field Thermometer Accuracy (April 2015 eDigest)
Chemical-Free Cleaning: Revisited (October/November 2014)
Non-EPA Registered Cleaners and Sanitizers For Use in Food Production Facilities and Retail Food Establishments (September 2013 eDigest)

​Want more articles from Bob Powitz? Access our compiled search at FoodSafetyMagazine.com

News Mentioned in This Episode
Public Meeting: New Era of Smarter Food Safety (submit comments here) [2:11]
New Romaine Lettuce E. coli Outbreak Investigation Kept Secret for 6 Weeks [7:06]  
Five Major Food Companies Form Leafy Greens Safety Coalition [15:59]

In this bonus episode of Food Safety Matters, we speak to Jenny Du, Ph.D., Co-Founder of Apeel Sciences, about Apeel—a clean alternative to traditional post-harvest produce coatings and treatments—its transparent approach to disrupting an $11 billion industry.

In this episode of Food Safety Matters, we speak to Sandro Tarchini of the Cardano Foundation, a nonprofit dedicated to advancing the blockchain ecosystem, about the applications for blockchain throughout the food supply chain and how it can improve farm-to-retail traceability and transparency.

Suzette Stalker is Director of FSQA Program Compliance at FreshRealm Inc. Formerly, she served as Director of Food Safety, Quality, and Regulatory compliance at Target Corporation. At Target, Suzette was responsible for food safety standards and programs, covering nearly 2,000 stores and more than 60 supply chain facilities. Her work encompassed owned brand supplier manufacturing facilities, product labeling, produce farms, supply chain facilities, retail stores, and managing food recalls. Previously, Suzette led teams to develop and execute comprehensive internal audits of food safety and operational risks across Target. 

Sabrina Terada is the Manager for Food Safety Risk Management and Measurement at Yum! Brands. She is a seasoned professional in food safety and quality assurance with extensive experience at Yum! Brands, where her roles have included Manager of Global Food Safety Risk Management and Measurement and Manager of Global FSQA. In these positions, Sabrina held responsibilities supporting the Food Safety Governance Framework, coaching, and assisting business units with crisis management. 

Chris McGarvey is the Director of the Regulatory and Compliance Team for Walker Morris LLP in the UK. He has more than 25 years of experience working in both the private and public sector, and has a track record of helping clients navigate complex legal challenges in areas of highly regulated economic activity. Chris specializes in food law and led the Food Standards Agency's (FSA's) Legal Team through Brexit, the COVID-19 pandemic, and supply chain challenges associated with the Ukraine conflict. Chris' typical clients are Directors, Senior Managers, and specialists, particularly food scientists, who demand quick, accessible, and accurate advice. His work often has national reach and spans all four nations of the UK.

Kye Luker serves as the Chief Product Officer at FlexXray, where he leads development of the company's innovative X-ray inspection process and technology. With more than two decades of experience in the service, consumer packaged goods (CPG), and food and beverage industries, Kye brings a wealth of knowledge in continuous improvement, quality assurance, and formulations to his role.

Richard (Rick) Stier, M.S. is a consulting food scientist who has helped food processors develop safety, quality, and sanitation programs. He believes in emphasizing the importance of how these programs can help companies increase profits. Rick comes from a family background in food science, with the Institute of Food Technologists (IFT) establishing an award in his mother's name—the Humanitarian Award for Service to the Science of Food in honor of Elizabeth Fleming Stier. Rick holds degrees in food science from Rutgers University and the University of California at Davis. He is also a member of the Editorial Advisory Board of Food Safety Magazine.