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
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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.
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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
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
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
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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
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About Don Schaffner
Dr. Donald W. Schaffner is Distinguished Professor and Extension Specialist in Food Science at Rutgers University. He has published over 150 peer reviews papers on a variety of topics including handwashing, cross-contamination, quantitative microbial risk assessment and predictive food microbiology. Dr. Schaffner has served on a variety of national and international expert committees, including service to U.S. National Academy of Sciences and the World Health Organization and Food and Agriculture Organization. He is active in several scientific associations including the International Association for Food Protection where he is a past-president. He holds a B.S. in Food Science from Cornell University and a M.S. and Ph.D. in Food Science and Technology from the University of Georgia. Don co-hosts a podcast—Food Safety Talk—on microbial food safety.
Would you like to tell us what you think about Food Safety Matters so far? Do you have a suggestion on who we should interview? Are there hot topics you'd like us to cover? Email us at podcast@foodsafetymagazine.com.
