This special BONUS episode of Food Safety Matters brings you a discussion about an application of next-generation sequencing — metagenomics.
 
As the cost of DNA testing decreases, practical applications are increasing, with one of the most exciting applications available being the use of sequencing to identify microorganisms in samples, including unculturable organisms. The value proposition of the 16s metagenomic application is that you can identify spoilage organisms in your facility, eliminate them and reduce the possibility of spoiled products reaching your consumers thus reducing your overall cost of quality.
 
We will be speaking with Joe Heinzelmann, Director of Business development for food safety genomics at Neogen. Joe began his career as a nanotechnology chemist and has since focused on marketing and business development efforts. He graduated from Albion College with a bachelor’s degree in chemistry and from Northwood University with an MBA. Joe tells us more about the practical applications of metagenomics in eliminating spoilage organisms in a food processing facility.

In this episode we speak to Neogen's Joe Heinzelmann about:

• Adoption of whole-genome sequencing by federal regulatory agencies and food processing companies.
• How metagenomics differs from how agencies are using whole-genome sequencing.
• What 16s metagenomics is and how is it used in plants.
• What kinds of data are being discovered with 16s metagenomics? 
• What food industry trends can benefit from next-generation sequencing.
• Understanding the differences in data provided by whole-genome sequencing vs. metagenomics analyses.

16s Metagenomics Resources:

16s Metagenomics Overview 

Metagenomics for Food Safety and Quality: Webinar Series

Sponsored by:

After obtaining her B.Sc. in poultry science from the University of Florida and serving in the meat and poultry industry, Trish began her career in food safety in 1997 as director of process and product development at ABC Research Corporation in Gainesville, FL. In 2004, she joined SGS, Consumer Testing Services, as the regional operations director for the Americas until 2009 when she became director of food safety systems for Eurofins Scientific. She is a Food Safety Preventive Controls Alliance Lead Instructor for Human Foods, an International HACCP Alliance Instructor and is currently President of her own consulting company, PA Wester Consulting, where she utilizes her broad experience in food safety testing and accredited certification auditing to support her food industry client base through the complexities of Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA) implementation. In 2017, she launched the Association for Food Safety Auditing Professionals, a 501(C)(3) trade association to provide a platform to support the food safety auditing community. 
 
She is active on numerous committees and councils, including as a member of the Food Safety Summit Education Advisory Board, and past Global Food Safety Initiative (GFSI) Auditor Competence and Global Regulatory Affairs Technical Working Groups.

In this episode of Food Safety Matters, we speak to Trish Wester about:

• The types of audits conducted within the food industry and how they differ
• How exacting standards for third-party auditing became part of FSMA
• How FSMA implementation will change the way that auditing has always been performed
• Auditing for food safety preventive controls vs. the robust systems that already exist for HACCP
• What it will take to create audits that are as robust and viable as the ones that were performed pre-FSMA
• How food plants are adapting to preventive controls rules in light of FSMA implementation and compliance deadlines
• Apparent gaps in how FDA has structured FSMA regulations
• How companies are working to meet FSMA compliance deadlines in a relatively short period of time
• What happens when an auditor does not have specific training and experience in the food sector they’re evaluating
• What kinds of skills should a qualified auditor possess
• How scoring of audits works
• The challenges of training an auditor to be well-versed in all FDA-regulated food sectors

News Mentioned in This Episode
FDA Agrees to Enforce Menu Labeling Rule in May 2018
Office of the Inspector General: FDA Must Boost Efficiency
CFIA Funding to further DNA-Based Research with University of Guelph

Bob Ferguson's Food Safety Insights Articles:
Food Safety Insights: The New Face of Sanitation Programs: New Rules, New Challenges (October/November 2017)
Food Safety Insights: A Look at the Microbiology Testing Market (February/March 2017)
Food Safety Insights: The Drivers of Differences in Food Safety Testing Practices (April/May 2017)
Food Safety Insights: What Industry and FDA Are Thinking About FSMA Implementation (June/July 2017)
Food Safety Insights: A Closer Look at Environmental Monitoring in the Processing Plant (August/September 2017)

If you're interested in participating in our Food Safety Insights Survey program please email your contact information to podcast@foodsafetymagazine.com.

Mike Taylor is a senior fellow at the Meridian Institute and an advisor to the Food and Society Program at the Aspen Institute. His primary interests are food safety globally and food security in Africa and other developing regions.
 
Until June 1, 2016, Mr. Taylor was Deputy Commissioner for Foods and Veterinary Medicine at the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). He led the comprehensive overhaul of FDA’s food safety program Congress mandated in the Food Safety Modernization Act of 2011 and oversaw all of FDA’s food-related activities, including its nutrition, labeling, food additive, dietary supplement and animal drug programs. 
 
Mr. Taylor served previously at FDA as a staff attorney and as Deputy Commissioner for Policy (1991–1994) and at the U.S. Department of Agriculture as Administrator of the Food Safety and Inspection Service and Acting Under Secretary for Food Safety (1994–1996). Prior to joining FDA in July 2009, he spent nearly a decade in academia conducting food safety, food security and public health policy research, most recently at George Washington University’s School of Public Health. He also served during that time as a Senior Fellow at the Partnership to Cut Hunger and Poverty in Africa, where he conducted research on U.S. policies affecting agricultural development and food security in Africa.  
 
In the private sector, Mr. Taylor founded the food and drug practice and was a partner in the law firm of King & Spalding. He also was vice president for public policy at Monsanto Company and served on the boards of the Alliance to End Hunger and RESOLVE, Inc. He is currently a board member of STOP Foodborne Illness and Clear Labs, Inc. He is a graduate of Davidson College and the University of Virginia School of Law.

In this episode, we speak to Mike Taylor about:

• His role at the USDA Food Safety and Inspection Service following Jack-In-the-Box, when he advocated for Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points (HACCP) for meat and poultry and Escherichia coli O157:H7 being labeled an adulterant.
• His tour of the country in support of Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA) implementation and how comments effected rulemaking
• How after a 10-year break, academic kibitzing about implementing a modern risk-based system led to his tenure at FDA. 
• His advocacy for a single food agency and HACCP for all foods. 
• How he believes we’ve turned the corner from reaction to prevention in the age of FSMA. 
• His work on food safety and security issues in Africa. 
• His role at the Aspen Institute and oversight of the next wave of gene technology. 
• How the conversation has changed from what we should do to how we are going to do it. 
• His thoughts about the important role of food safety culture. 

 
Also in the Episode:
Checking in with Adriene Cooper, senior event manager for the Food Safety Summit on their Food Safety Theater programming at this years’ Process Expo. 

Sponsored by:

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Dr. William Sperber is a renowned food microbiologist who has been appointed five times by the U.S. Secretary of Agriculture to the National Advisory Committee on Microbiological Criteria for Foods and has been recognized for his pioneering work at the Pillsbury Co. in the development of the Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points (HACCP) food safety program model. 
 
During his career, Dr. Sperber worked for three major food companies—Best Foods, Pillsbury and Cargill—and has become one of the world’s experts in controlling the microbiological safety and quality of foods. 
 
A former chair of the IFT Division of Food Microbiology and the Food Microbiology Research Conference, Dr. Sperber was appointed in 2000 to the FAO/WHO roster of experts for microbiological risk assessments. 
 
In 2001, the International Association for Food Protection presented Dr. Sperber with the Harold Barnum Industry Award, and in 2002, the American Meat Institute Foundation presented him with its inaugural Scientific Achievement Award. In 2004 he received our Food Safety Magazine Distinguished Service Award
 
Now retired, Dr. Sperber is a strategic advisor to Cargill’s food safety program and remains actively involved in professional activities on a personal level, including the development of a textbook on food safety and HACCP.  

In this episode of Food Safety Matters we speak to Dr. Bill Sperber about:
 

• Bill’s early life influences and what lead him to a career in food microbiology
• Why Salmonella is his ‘favorite’ bacterium
• The food industry before HACCP
• Developing and implementing HACCP
• Listeria hysteria
• Canned foods regulation, pasteurization, and raw milk
• Who’s responsible for safe foods?
• Insights from visiting 1,000+ plants in 20 years
• Top advances in food safety in the last 50 years
• The advent of 'The Friendly Microbiologist'

Articles by Dr. Sperber in Food Safety Magazine
Good Consumer Practices Are Necessary to Further Improve Global Food Safety (April/May 2015)
Sean Leighton, M.Sc., M.B.A., and William H. Sperber, Ph.D.
Happy 50th Birthday to HACCP: Retrospective and Prospective  (December 2009/January 2010)
William H. Sperber. Ph.D., and Richard F. Stier
Shifting the Emphasis from Product Testing to Process Testing (April/May 2010)
William H. Sperber, Ph.D.
Advancing the Food Safety Agenda (June/July 2004)
An interview with William H. Sperber, Ph.D.

 
Resources Mentioned in This Episode:
USDA Integrates Recall Information into 'FoodKeeper' Application
FDA Launches Food Safety Plan Builder to Help with FSMA Requirements 
Federal court upholds Seafood Traceability Rule; targets fraud
USDA Offers Food Safety Tips for Areas Affected by Hurricanes

Dr. Ben Chapman is an associate professor and food safety extension specialist at North Carolina State University. He received a Ph.D. in plant agriculture in 2009 from the University of Guelph. With the goal of less foodborne illness, his group designs, implements and evaluates food safety strategies, messages, and media from farm-to-fork. Through reality-based research, Chapman investigates behaviors and creates interventions aimed at amateur and professional food handlers, managers and organizational decision-makers; the gate keepers of safe food. Ben co-hosts a biweekly podcast called Food Safety Talk and tries to further engage folks online through Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, YouTube and Pinterest. Follow on Twitter @benjaminchapman. His research interests include consumer, retail and food safety culture, home food preservation and communicating food safety risk reduction messages. He is a member of the International Association for Food Protection (IAFP) Food Law professional development group and Outreach Education professional development group and the Carolinas Association for Food Protection. He currently co-chairs the North Carolina Fresh Produce Safety Task Force and is a member of the editorial boards of Food Protection Trends and the British Food Journal. He is the chair of the Risk Communication subgroup for the North Carolina Governor’s Task Force on Food.

In this episode of Food Safety Matters, we speak to Ben Chapman about:

• Supporting local retail, foodservice and consumer food safety through NC State Extension
• Co-founding Barfblog with Doug Powell and how it supports food safety efforts
• Emerging of niche markets like petting zoos and agritourism
• Developing NC State’s Master Food Volunteer program
• Working in food safety as a career
• Researching cookbooks for food safety instructions made Ben famous for two days
• Translating and communicating risk to consumers and businesses
• Using social media to arm the right people with the right messages
• Starting the Food Safety Talk podcast with Don Schaffner
• Using reality-based research
• Developing social media projects to engage citizen scientists

Ben Chapman's articles published in Food Safety Magazine
Crisis Management: How to Handle Outbreak Events (June-July 2012)
Food Safety for Food Handlers (December 2010-January 2011)

Resources Mentioned in This Episode
FDA Issues New FSMA Guidance for Exempt Canned Foods, Juice and Seafood
New FDA Guidance Document Clarifies FSMA’s Sanitary Transportation Rule
FAO to consider World Food Safety Day
New Data Ranks Food Safety  at America’s Baseball Stadiums 
Seven Filthy Food Habits and How Dirty They Really Are

Dr. Scott Brooks is the owner of River Run Consulting, LLC, providing food safety, quality, scientific and regulatory affairs services for food and beverage companies in manufacturing, food service and retail. He is the former senior vice president of Quality, Food Safety, Scientific and Regulatory Affairs for Kraft Foods. Scott joined Kraft from PepsiCo, where he held the position of vice president of Global Food Safety, Scientific & Regulatory Affairs, and Quality Policy. He joined PepsiCo from Yum! Brands where he was Director of Global Food Safety and Quality Assurance. Scott also held senior quality, food safety and regulatory positions at Food Safety Net Services and at E&J Gallo. He started his career in food safety and quality with the U.S. Air Force as a public health officer and director of Air Force food safety programs.

Scott has a Doctorate in Veterinary Medicine from Texas A&M University, as well as a Master’s degree in Food Science/Microbiology and a Master’s degree in Preventive Veterinary Medicine/Epidemiology, both from the University of California-Davis. He has served on numerous scientific boards and food industry advisory committees and was appointed by the U.S. Secretary of Agriculture to serve on the National Advisory Committee on Microbiological Criteria for Foods. Scott is Board Certified in Veterinary Preventive Medicine and is currently the Past President of the American College of Veterinary Preventive Medicine where he influences national farm-to-table food safety policy and systems with colleagues from government, academia and industry.

In this episode of Food Safety Matters, we speak to Scott Brooks about:

• His evolution from veterinary medicine to food safety
• How Dave Theno influenced his career pathway
• His time in the Air Force, including his food safety and bioterrorism responsibilities as a public health officer
• Working with Yum Brands, the parent company of Taco Bell, KFC and Pizza Hut
• How the industry's focus on food safety changed after 9/11
• Challenges food companies are faced with while balancing new regulations with ongoing requirements
• Tips to prepare for food plant inspections
• Advice on how to advocate for more (or better) food safety resources
• Top challenges facing the food safety industry
• Differences between food safety at the corporate level vs. at the plant level

Related Content:
FSMA Tips Dominate 2017 Food Safety Summit

News Mentioned in This Episode
USDA Food Safety Leader Al Almanza Retires
Mexican Papayas Triggers U.S. Salmonella Outbreak
Chipotle Customers Report Foodborne Illness Symptoms Online

Sponsored by:

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Joseph Corby worked for the New York State Department of Agriculture and Markets for 37 years, ultimately retiring in 2008 as the director of the Division of Food Safety and Inspection. He is currently the executive director of the Association of Food & Drug Officials (AFDO), and he serves on the Board of Directors for the International Food Protection Training Institute (IFPTI) and the Partnership for Food Safety Education. He is also an Instructor for IFPTI, Louisiana State University, and the University of Tennessee. He has been an outspoken advocate for the advancement of a nationally integrated food safety system and continues to work with numerous groups and associations in support of this cause.

In this episode of Food Safety Matters, we speak to Joe Corby about:

• The role of AFDO, its history, accomplishments, government relationships, and resources the organization offers to the industry.
• AFDO involvement with creating an integrated food safety system in the U.S.
• AFDO's Directory of State and Local Officials, an interactive tool the industry can use to find the proper contacts when a problem occurs
• Increased focus on manufactured foods now that FSMA is in place
• FDA's recent adoption of a more education-based approach to their compliance regulations

Joe Corby's Articles Published in Food Safety Magazine
Cover Story: Building an Integrated Food Safety System One Brick at a Time (April/May 2017)
Cover Story: Integrating the Nation's Food Safety System: What You Need to Know: Past, Present and Future (April/May 2016)

Resources Mentioned in This Episode
Donate: Dave Theno Fellowship (under Donation Information, choose the Designation: "Dave Theno Fellowship")
AFDO's Directory of State and Local Officials
AFDO's Manufactured Food Regulatory Program Alliance
International Food Protection Training Institute Toolkit Workshop: Introduction to the Integrated Food Safety System

Sponsored by:

What if you could easily trend all food safety and quality data across your operations? Monitor performance and process control in real time? Efficiently track, measure, and report yield, waste, and operational KPIs? Quickly see your supplier performance and risks? You can with SafetyChain Analytics. Part of SafetyChain’s integrated Food Safety & Quality Management solution offerings, this powerful management tool delivers the visibility, knowledge, and control to better manage operations. SafetyChain Analytics transforms food safety and quality records into real-time data intelligence that improves everyday business decisions, operational performance, and your bottom line.  

Learn How SafetyChain Analytics Can Help Your Company
Watch this video for a quick intro to SafetyChain’s powerful management tool 
Access the SafetyChain Analytics Performance Tools datasheet