Bob Whitaker, recently retired, served as the chief science and technology officer for the Produce Marketing Association (PMA). In that role, Bob was responsible for food safety, technology, supply chain management, and sustainability. He also served on the Center for Produce Safety's Board of Directors as well as on the California Leafy Greens Technical Committee. Prior to joining PMA, Bob spent 16 years in the biotechnology arena with DNA Plant Technology Corporation as a researcher, and then as vice president of fruit and vegetable R&D. Bob's career has also included roles at NewStar Fresh Foods and its subsidiary MissionStar Processing.

Bob earned his doctorate in biology from the State University of New York at Binghamton.

Jennifer McEntire is the vice president of food safety and technology at United Fresh Produce Association. Before that, she was the vice president of science operations for the Grocery Manufacturers Association. She has also had roles as vice president and chief science officer at The Acheson Group and as the senior staff scientist and director of science and technology projects for the Institute of Food Technologists. She is an advisory board member of the Global Food Traceability Center, the technical committee of the Center for Produce Safety, and she serves on the executive committee of the Food Safety Preventive Controls Alliance.

Jennifer earned her Ph.D. from Rutgers University as a U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) National Needs Fellow in food safety. 

In this episode of Food Safety Matters, we speak to Bob and Jen [18:13] about:

• Today's most pressing food safety issues in the produce sector
• The importance of personal engagement and individual operations
• Traceability challenges
• The benefits of having an electronic-based traceability system 
• Working with the Romaine Task Force
• Changes with how irrigation water is treated
• Providing federal and government agencies with the industry knowledge they need to complete an outbreak investigation
• What information agencies need when they conduct a traceback investigation
• Traceability issues with commingled food commodities
• Why blockchain is not a magical solution

Bob's Articles in Food Safety Magazine
Latest Research Findings Hit on Produce Safety Priorities 
Confronting Food Safety Challenges Head-On in Produce 
The Supply Chain and Food Safety Culture: Primary Production 
The Supply Chain and Food Safety Culture: Sector Leaders Sharing Their Challenges and Recommended Practices

Jen's Articles in Food Safety Magazine
Fixing FSMA's Ag Water Requirements 
Environmental Monitoring in the Era of Whole-Genome Sequencing
Building Food Safety Leaders
Product Tracing in Food Systems: Legislation vs. Reality

News Mentioned in This Episode
Chipotle's Use of Nurses to Verify Employee Cases of Norovirus [2:52]
2020 Goals for the USDA Food Safety and Inspection Service [7:41]
The Frozen Food Listeria Lot Risk Assessment Tool [9:39]
Update: Tyson Foods Wins Lawsuit Against USDA [15:27]

Sponsored by:

Safe Food California
Safe Food Alliance

As we wrap up 2019, the Food Safety Matters team, along with Bob Ferguson of Strategic Consulting Inc., sat down once again to discuss the biggest moments in food safety this year, and what we have to look forward to in 2020 and beyond.

News Mentioned in This Episode
Partial government shutdown and how it affected food safety [3:49] 
Frank Yiannas joins FDA [7:49] 
New swine modernization regulations [10:40]
FSMA key dates [12:04] 
Theo Morille-Hinds wins FSM's Distinguished Food Safety Award [13:27] 
Ask Karen becomes Ask USDA [14:35] 
Romaine lettuce, leafy greens, recalls, and never-ending foodborne outbreaks [16:48]

Bob Ferguson's Food Safety Insights [38:35]
Bob joins us to discuss his article featured in our December 2019/January 2020 issue

Want more from Bob Ferguson? Find more of his articles and podcast segments.

Dr. Marta Hugas, Ph.D., is the chief scientist for the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA). In this role, Marta oversees the development of EFSA's scientific strategic direction, manages scientific matters, facilitates the understanding of science, fosters scientific cooperation, and leverages connections and networks to promote EFSA's research priorities.

Since joining EFSA in 2003, Marta has led the agency's Biological Hazards Unit, the Risk Assessment and Scientific Assistance Department, and the Biological Hazards and Contaminants Unit.

Before joining EFSA, Marta worked for the Institute for Food and Agricultural Research and Technology in Spain where she was head of the Food Microbiology and Biotechnology Unit. There, she led a research group on applied research on meat and food safety.

Marta earned her bachelor's degree in biological sciences, a Master's degree in genetics and microbial biotechnology, as well as a Ph.D. in food microbiology.

In this episode of Food Safety Matters, we speak to Marta [19:35] about:

• Identifying the needs and gaps that shaped the agency's plans for the next 5–10 years.
• The Horizon 2020 and Horizon Europe initiatives
• Relying on more alternative and sustainable production systems for future food safety success
• Balancing and improving risk and assessment with new innovations in the food industry
• Involving various subject matter experts when exploring a new food safety question or issue
• Working toward climate neutrality
• The importance of communicating all research and data to the public, even when that information can be difficult for the general public to comprehend
• The Eurobarometer consumer survey
• The three ingredients of risk assessment
• EFSA's partnerships, grants, and procurements

Related Content
Editorial: Food Safety Regulatory Research Needs 2030 
Call Launch: Supporting the Food Safety Systems of the Future
Climate Change and Food Safety
2019 Eurobarometer on Food Safety in the EU
EU-ANSA Agencies' Engagement in the European Union Research Knowledge Cycle: An Overview
 
News Mentioned in This Episode
FDA Begins Year-Long Assignment to Test Romaine Lettuce for Pathogens [9:54]
UPDATE: Cluster of E. coli Illnesses Linked to Romaine Lettuce Salads [13:05]
Lawmakers Demand More Transparency When Meat Plants Are Linked to Foodborne Outbreaks [13:49]  

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—for the second time—to Jerry Heath (staff entomologist) and Sharon Dobesh (director of technical services) from the Industrial Fumigant Company (IFC) about integrated pest management and some best practices that food facilities can follow.

In this BONUS episode of Food Safety Matters, we speak to IFC about:

• Tips for creating or improving upon a pest management program
• The importance of communication and partnership between the food plant and the pest management company
• How hard it is to change a facility's food safety culture
• How fluctuating environmental conditions can lead to unexpected pest problems
• The different types of food facilities (dry vs. wet processing) and the various types of pests and insects they tend to attract
• Surprising pest discoveries
• The most vulnerable hot spots and risky areas within most food plants
• The critical importance of keeping trailers and other forms of transportation clean
• Best practices in pest management, plus actions that food plant employees can take when they spot a rodent
• The use of pesticides vs. the demand for more natural pest products

Resources
Pest-Free Shipping and the FDA's Sanitary Transportation Rule
Integrated Pest Management-based Prevention Tips 
The Integrated Pest Management Pyramid 

Sponsored by:

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 [13:43] about:

• Sanitation, training, and other areas of instruction that colleges and universities fail to cover, and why reaching out to these institutions is so important
• Working with regulators who do not fully understand the sanitation process
• Some of the downfalls of contracting with chemical suppliers who lack technical expertise beyond the sale cycle
• Why equipment design is so crucial to a sanitation program
• The do's and don'ts of effective swabbing
• Balancing marketing and product development ideas with food safety priorities and needs
• Understanding the "why" behind sanitation
• Keeping up with food codes and regulations not only state to state, but in other countries, particularly as it relates to allergens
• Why industry needs to do a better job of representing the positive side of their work so that younger sanitarians see the benefits
• Trends: sustainability and green cleaning

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
Pork Industry Workers Sue USDA Over New Swine Rule's Faster Line Speeds [3:27]
New Report: IFSAC Releases 2017 Foodborne Illness Data [5:50]
FDA's FSMA Tracking Dashboard [9:55]  

Lan Lam is the senior editor of Cook's Illustrated Magazine and a cast member on PBS's America's Test Kitchen (ATK). Lan earned her bachelor's degree in chemistry from Wesleyan University. There, she learned scientific methods that inform her approach to developing recipes and teaching home cooks the principles of cooking and baking. 

Before joining ATK, Lan learned to cook by working for James Beard Foundation Award winners and nominees in Cambridge and Boston. The James Beard Foundation Awards are presented annually to recognize U.S. culinary professionals including chefs, restaurateurs, authors, and journalists. 

In this episode of Food Safety Matters, we speak to Lan [25:50] about:

• The origins of Cook's Illustrated Magazine and ATK
• Explaining the "why" behind each recipe that goes on air
• Addressing viewer concerns about handwashing, how television editing can be misleading, and how they work around this
• The process behind choosing what is discussed on ATK
• Commonly submitted viewer questions
• Addressing concerns about raw poultry and eggs
• Proper refrigeration of cooked foods
• How the show ensures they are disseminating accurate food safety information

Bob Ferguson's Food Safety Insights [13:55]
Bob discusses his article featured in our October/November 2019 issue:

Want more from Bob Ferguson? Find more of his articles and podcast segments.

News Mentioned in This Episode
Meat Plant Owner and HACCP Manager Plead Guilty to Falsifying E. coli Test Records [3:10]
Beef Execs Plead Guilty to Selling $1 Million of Adulterated Meat to Bureau of Prisons [7:55]
Former PCA Quality Control Officer Moves Into Halfway House [10:15]
FDA Announces Joint Venture to Study Human Pathogens in Yuma Region Leafy Greens [10:58]