Pathotrak has appointed Frank Yiannas, former Deputy Commissioner of Food Policy and Response at the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), to its Board of Directors.

As Deputy Commissioner, Mr. Yiannas helped implement the Food Safety Modernization Act and spearheaded FDA’s New Era of Smarter Food Safety initiative. Prior to FDA, he held food safety leadership roles with Walmart and the Walt Disney Company. Mr. Yiannas’s current consultancy, Smarter FY Solutions, advises industry on food safety and supply chain issues.

Pathotrak’s technology, Next Generation Enrichment, helps food safety testing laboratories and food producers shorten the time required for the enrichment step in sample preparation. Next Generation Enrichment can help quicken foodborne illness outbreak investigations, limit recalls, and reduce food waste.

In 2022, Pathotrak’s technology was certified by the AOAC Research Institute as the first to deliver pathogen detection for leafy greens in less than an eight-hour shift. In 2024, Pathotrak received AOAC accreditation for rapid testing in beef and continues to develop solutions in other food categories.