In this BONUS episode of Food Safety Matters, hygiene expert Paul Barnhill tells us all about Meritech's innovative Employee Hygiene Toolbox created in partnership with Food Safety Magazine.

In this BONUS episode of Food Safety Matters, we speak to Paul Barnhill, chief technology officer and head engineer at Meritech, the leader in automated employee hygiene. He has over 28 years of experience working with professionals in food manufacturing, healthcare, and foodservice. He understands the challenges these industries face when creating hygiene programs and how to overcome these obstacles through education and automated technologies.

Paul often speaks on best practices in hand hygiene, footwear sanitation, and the science behind pathogen removal. Helping food processing and packaging facilities produce safe and healthy products through hygiene excellence is a passion for him.

Prior to joining Meritech, Paul worked at Medtronic, Inc. a leader in cardiovascular equipment and implantable devices, in their hemostasis division as a mechanical designer within the R&D department. Paul earned his accreditation degree from the American Institute for Design & Drafting. 

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

• The most prevalent challenges with traditional handwashing and instant sanitizers
• The advantages of automated handwashing
• Meritech's CleanTech automated handwashing system
• Often overlooked steps in handwashing
• The Meritech Employee Hygiene Toolbox--what's included and who it's for
• Common problems with hygienic zoning and why it matters for handwashing
• Why creating a food safety culture goes beyond basic regulatory requirements and why that matters
• How foodservice is experimenting with new handwashing concepts

Resources
Employee Hygiene Toolbox
How to Wash Your Hands Properly: A Step by Step Handwashing Guide with Hygiene Expert Paul Barnhill
Meritech.com 

Sponsored by:

Alfredo Fernández, J.D. is an attorney and Partner at Shipman & Goodwin LLP. As a member of the firm's national Environmental Practice, Alfredo advises clients across industry types on environmental, health, and safety issues that arise in all areas of business operations. Risk management pertaining to per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) is one area of focus. Alfredo also counsels private and public entities regarding abatement of hazardous materials and conditions. He received his J.D. from University of Connecticut School of Law and holds a B.S. degree from the University of Michigan.

Edward G. Dudley, Ph.D. is the Director of the E. coli Reference Center and a Professor of Food Science at the Pennsylvania State University. He has a broad background in molecular biology, physiology, and foodborne bacteria genomics, with expertise in both beneficial and pathogenic species. His current research program focuses on factors that drive the virulence of Escherichia coli O157:H7 and the development of DNA sequence-based methods for tracking pathogen spread during foodborne illness outbreaks, including wastewater monitoring. 

Phil Kafarakis is the President and CEO of IFMA The Food Away from Home Association, formerly known as the International Foodservice Manufacturers Association. He is responsible for overseeing IFMA's day-to-day operations and directing the activities of the association in support of its policies, goals, and objectives. Phil is a highly accomplished senior executive with broad experience leading major food industry companies and associations. He began his industry career in the manufacturing sector, successfully leading and managing businesses at Kraft, Jones Dairy Farm, Cargill, and McCormick & Co., where he also served on IFMA's Board of Directors. He also previously served as President of the Specialty Food Association (SFA) and as the Chief Innovation and Member Advancement Officer at the National Restaurant Association (NRA).

Mark Carter is the Senior Software Product Manager at Hygiena. He assumed the presidency of the International Association for Food Protection (IAFP) at the conclusion of the IAFP Annual Meeting in July 2024.

Mr. Carter has extensive international business and technical experience. He most recently served as COO of Matrix Sciences, as well as the Executive Vice President of Corporate Development, where he was responsible for Matrix Sciences Mergers and Acquisitions activity. He previously held positions as CEO of QC Laboratories and Corporate Vice President of Research and Development with the Silliker Group Corporation (now Mérieux NutriSciences). He has served within the food industry as Section Manager for Microbiology and Food Safety at Kraft Foods and Corporate Laboratory Group Leader at McKee Foods Corporation.

Jason Evans, Ph.D. is the Dean of the College of Food Innovation and Technology (CFIT) at Johnson & Wales University, which offers baccalaureate and graduate programming in Culinary Arts, Culinary Science, Culinary Nutrition, Food and Beverage Entrepreneurship, and Sustainable Food Systems.

Kimberly Baker, Ph.D. serves as the Food Systems and Safety Program Team Director and an Associate Extension Specialist with the Clemson University Cooperative Extension Service. She received her Ph.D. in Food Technology from Clemson University and is both a registered and licensed dietitian, as well as a trained chef.