Bryan Hitchcock is the executive director of the Global Food Traceability Center (GFTC) for the Institute of Food Technologists (IFT). Bryan is responsible for managing and directing the GFTC, including overall leadership, strategy and governance, sales and marketing, and government, public, and industry relations.

Additionally, Bryan is IFT's principal scientific and technology leader on matters related to existing food chains and their digital transformation. His previous roles have been with PepsiCo, Procter & Gamble, and 3M Company. 

Bryan earned his bachelor's degree in Chemical Engineering from Cornell University.

In this episode of Food Safety Matters, we speak to Bryan [26:44] about:

• The birth of GFTC and how it was made possible with the help of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration
• What traceability and communication should look like within the food supply chain
• Proactive steps food companies can take to improve their supply chain transparency and traceability
• Four key data elements uncovered in research
• GFTC's role in providing feedback to FDA
• The need for more training at all levels of the food supply chain
• Artificial intelligence and how it's been applied in agricultural farming

Resources:
Pilot Projects for Improving Product Tracing along the Food Supply System - Final Report 
World Food Safety Day - World Health Organization 
World Food Safety Day - Codex Alimentarius

We also speak with Laura Allred (Gluten Intolerance Group [GIG]) [9:25] about:

• The history of GIG
• Partnering with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to establish a certification program
• Their work in certifying products as gluten-free, not facilities
• Unexpected sources of gluten
• How wheat gets all the attention when it comes to gluten
• Why there's such an increasing demand for gluten-free products
• The reason behind GIG's recent certification mark/label update
• Best practices for gluten-free manufacturers
• The benefits of gluten-free certification via GIG
• Why focusing on wheat as an allergen can be problematic
• Upcoming research and surveys

News Mentioned in This Episode
$19M in Fines for Blue Bell; Former President Also Charged with Concealing Listeria Contamination [3:14]
Foodborne Illness is on the Rise, Says CDC [7:43] 

Larry Keener, CFS, PA is President and CEO of International Product Safety Consultants Inc. and an internationally regarded microbiologist and process authority in the food industry. His areas of expertise range from applied food microbiology to the development and application of novel preservation technologies.

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.