Food Safety Matters

Rocco Renaldi is the Secretary General of the International Food and Beverage Alliance (IFBA). He has held this position since 2013, leading IFBA's engagement with the World Health Organization, other UN agencies, national governments, and international stakeholders in the field of food, nutrition, and health. Over the years, he has brokered IFBA's global policies and commitments and been instrumental in launching many industry and multi-stakeholder initiatives across the globe. Rocco is Italian, lives in Brussels, and works internationally.
 
In this episode of Food Safety Matters, we speak with Rocco [37:45] about:
Common misconceptions about ultra-processed foods (UPFs) and their relationship to nutrition, public health, and consumer health outcomes
The limitations of the NOVA classification system and challenges in assessing foods based primarily on their degree of processing
Why nutritional composition and overall diet quality are important considerations when evaluating the potential health impacts of foods
The role of food processing in ensuring microbial safety, extending shelf life, and preserving food quality
How processed foods contribute to affordability, accessibility, and food waste reduction, particularly in regions with limited access to nutritious foods
Industry progress in reducing sodium, added sugars, and saturated fat, and the technical and consumer-acceptance challenges of product reformulation
Potential unintended consequences of nutrition policies that target UPFs based on processing methods rather than nutritional composition or diet quality
Opportunities for collaboration among industry, policymakers, researchers, and public health organizations to advance food safety and nutrition goals.
News and Resources
 
News
FDA Proposes Cadmium Action Levels for Baby Foods, Issues Preventive Controls Guidance for Chemical Hazards [2:54]
Court Temporarily Halts USDA's Planned Reorganization [7:52]
Seasonal Salmonella Meat Contamination Patterns Disappearing in U.S., Except for Ground Beef [11:57]
New International Food Pyramid Contradicts RFK Jr.'s Meat, Fat Messages in U.S. Dietary Guidelines [19:24]
Food Safety Insights: Allergens and GMO: What is Happening in Control Programs? [20:20:37]
Resources
International Food & Beverage Alliance
 
Government Accountability Office Report: Agency Relocations—Following Leading Practices Will Better Position USDA to Mitigate the Ongoing Impacts on Its Workforce (December 2022)
 
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Adam Holt, BCE is a Board Certified Entomologist with decades of hands-on experience. He is the Founder and Principal Consultant at NameDatBug, a pest control consulting firm grounded in real-world success across every level of the pest control industry. Adam has held executive roles at several PCT Top 100 companies and brings unmatched industry expertise to every engagement. He holds a patent for an electronic rodent monitoring device, has worked in pest control software development, and has collaborated closely with manufacturers and distributors on both product design and market strategy.  

In this episode of Food Safety Matters, we speak with Adam [25:47] about: 

How his experience across pest management, consulting, and other sectors has shaped his approach to developing effective IPM programs for food facilities 


Common pest management vulnerabilities in food processing facilities, including structural gaps, conducive conditions, sanitation deficiencies, and inadequate internal quality assurance (QA) programs 


How electronic remote monitoring technologies can improve rodent detection, identify pest activity trends, and help technicians prioritize inspections and corrective actions 


The benefits and limitations of AI-assisted pest identification, including concerns about accuracy, image quality, and the importance of expert verification 


Why food safety teams must understand pest management service reports, monitoring data, and digital logbooks to evaluate program effectiveness 


Common pest management audit deficiencies, including inadequate documentation, unreported conducive conditions, and failure to document corrective actions when pest activity thresholds are exceeded 


How food facilities can integrate IPM into their broader food safety and QA programs through routine inspections, proactive prevention, and oversight of pest control providers 


How changing weather patterns, emerging pest pressures, and restrictions on rodenticides and other control methods may influence future pest management strategies. 

News and Resources 

FDA Quietly Included Provision in GRAS Proposed Rule to Expand One 'Loophole' While Tightening Another [4:46] 

Pennsylvania Advances Bill That Would Set Limits on Heavy Metals in Baby Foods [8:46] 

Survey of Low-Moisture Food Manufacturers Reveals Opportunities to Strengthen Dry Sanitation [13:31] 

Refrigerator Cyberattack at Hundreds of Stores in France, Other Countries Results in Mass Food Losses [19:17] 

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Michael Ciepiela is Vice President of Quality and Continuous Improvement at Southern Specialties. He brings over a decade of diverse experience in the food and beverage industry, along with experience in the pharmaceutical sector, specializing in quality assurance and food safety. Throughout his career, he has excelled in multi-site implementation and adherence to GFSI requirements and regulations. Michael has also been instrumental in promoting and educating Lean Six Sigma principles in fast-paced, cross-departmental settings. As a recognized thought leader, he frequently speaks at national conferences. He is also a senior member of the American Society for Quality (ASQ). Michael holds a bachelor's degree in Biology from Alfred University and a Six Sigma Master Black Belt from Villanova University.
In this episode of Food Safety Matters, we speak with Michael [33:14] about:
What an effective, unbiased gap assessment looks like, common mistakes companies make, and how assessments can reveal opportunities for meaningful improvement
How food safety and quality leaders can assess a new organization's current state and determine which quality and operational priorities require attention first
How to distinguish isolated compliance issues from systemic problems involving processes, resources, leadership, organizational structure, or food safety culture
What continuous audit readiness looks like in practice, and how companies can replace last-minute audit preparation with sustainable, everyday systems
Practical strategies for building accountability for food safety and quality across departments and translating food safety culture goals into concrete action
How Lean Six Sigma and continuous improvement methodologies can strengthen food safety and quality without allowing efficiency or productivity goals to take precedence
How organizations can select and use meaningful KPIs to evaluate whether food safety and quality systems are actually improving over time
Why some organizations achieve sustainable operational excellence, while others repeatedly react to the same food safety, quality, and operational problems.
News and Resources
News
A Note From the Editorial Director: Welcome to Our New Web-First Features Collection! [3:38]
FDA Closes Taylor Farms Lettuce Investigation, Announces Action Plan to Prevent Future Cyclospora Outbreaks [11:30]
USDA-FSIS to Roll Out Listeria Environmental Sampling Program Nationwide at RTE Facilities [19:05]
UK FSA Board Decides to Advance Sweeping Food System Regulatory Reforms [25:12]
EPA Announces Glyphosate Safety Review Efforts, Decision Expected by Early 2027; Experts Question Scientific Rigor [28:53]
Resources
Register for the 2027 Food Safety Summit
Sign up for a FREE Food Safety Magazine membership
We Want to Hear from You!
Please send us your questions and suggestions to podcast@food-safety.com

Mindy Brashears, Ph.D. is the U.S. Department of Agriculture's (USDA's) Under Secretary for Food Safety. She previously served as Under Secretary for Food Safety from 2020–2021, and Deputy Under Secretary in 2019. Dr. Brashears returns to USDA from Texas Tech University, where she was a Paul Whitfield Horn Distinguished Professor of Food Safety and Public Health, the Roth and Letch Family Endowed Chair for Food Safety, and the Director of the International Center for Food Industry Excellence.
Dr. Brashears' research program has advanced food safety in meat and poultry production, with a focus on public health. Her work evaluated interventions in pre- and post-harvest environments and antimicrobial drug resistance in animal feeding systems. She has led international research teams across the globe to enhance food safety, security, and sustainable agriculture systems. Her research has resulted in more than 20 patents and patents pending for innovations in food safety.
Beyond academia, Dr. Brashears has held leadership roles on boards and advisory committees, including the American Meat Science Association, the Development Council, the International Stockman's Educational Foundation, and the Protein Pact. She was a founding member of the SAFE Think Tank and has chaired the National Alliance for Food Safety and Security and the USDA's multi-state research group. Her contributions have earned national and international recognition, including induction into the Meat Industry Hall of Fame, Fellow status in the American Meat Science Association (AMSA) and the National Academy of Inventors, and numerous awards from leading associations. 
Carmen Rottenberg is a leader in food safety and agriculture policy, serving as Managing Director of Groundswell Strategy a Board Member for the Partnership for Food Safety Education. Prior to launching Groundswell Strategy, Carmen served as Administrator of USDA's Food Safety and Inspection Service. Over her 13 years with USDA, Carmen held several leadership roles and was credited with spearheading key agency initiatives including modernizing food safety inspection systems and establishing and updating pathogen performance standards. Carmen has extensive experience achieving collaboration across federal, state, and municipal agencies including with the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), with state departments of agriculture and across USDA's 29 agencies and offices.
Carmen began her federal career in the Federal Trade Commission's Office of General Counsel and has experience working in both the public and private sectors. She holds a B.A. degree in Political Science and Philosophy from Hope College and a J.D. from American University's Washington College of Law.
In this episode of Food Safety Matters, we speak with Dr. Brashears and Carmen [4:02] about:
Why consumer food safety education remains essential to foodborne illness prevention alongside safeguards throughout food production, processing, inspection, and regulation
How USDA approaches its role in educating consumers about safe food handling and what effective consumer food safety education looks like
Where consumers fit within the shared responsibility for food safety across the farm-to-fork continuum
The respective roles of government, industry, and nonprofit organizations in supporting consumers and advancing food safety education
Key challenges in translating established, science-based food safety recommendations, including "Clean, Separate, Cook, and Chill," into consistent consumer behaviors
How social media, influencers, news outlets, government agencies, and other information sources are affecting consumer trust and food safety messaging
Opportunities to make consumer food safety education more effective and accessible through partnerships, communication strategies, educational resources, and targeted outreach
Which safe food handling behaviors deserve greater consumer attention, and how food safety professionals can reinforce those messages beyond National Food Safety Education Month.
Resources
Partnership for Food Safety Education
2026 IFIC Food and Health Survey: A Focus On Food and Ingredient Safety
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Jules Shepard is the CEO and Founder of gfJules, the number-one‑voted gluten‑free flour and baking mixes company in the United States. A recognized gluten‑free baking expert, she has authored three award‑winning books in the field and recently released a new cookbook dedicated to gluten‑free bread. A long‑standing and respected leader in the gluten‑free and food allergy community, Jules championed the gluten‑free food labeling movement in 2011. Her tireless advocacy, education, and lobbying efforts culminated in her receiving the first‑ever "Gluten Free Person of the Decade" award in 2020.
 
In this episode of Food Safety Matters, we speak with Jules [32:50] about:
How her celiac disease diagnosis led her from practicing law to consumer advocacy and eventually gluten-free food manufacturing
The consumer challenges that prompted grassroots advocacy for standardized FDA requirements governing "gluten-free" labeling
What food safety professionals should understand about celiac disease, gluten sensitivity, exposure risks, and consumers' need for vigilance
Essential manufacturing controls, certifications, supplier practices, and other safeguards for producing trusted gluten-free and allergen-free foods
Gaps in U.S. gluten labeling requirements, including the treatment of wheat, barley, rye, and related hybrids
How gluten cross-contact, ingredients derived from gluten-containing grains, and voluntary precautionary statements can complicate consumers' evaluation of packaged foods
How regulators can approach thresholds, precautionary allergen labeling, and substantiation of "free-from" claims while considering practical implications for manufacturers
Where the gluten-free and allergen-free food sector needs to go next to better address the needs of consumers with celiac disease and food allergies.
 
News and Resources
 
News
Abbott Nutrition to Pay $385M Settlement for 2022 Infant Formula Shortage, Contamination Incident [2:13]
 
Recommendations from Industry-Led Reagan-Udall Roundtable on Controlling C. botulinum in Infant Formula [7:41]
 
Cattlemen's Associations Oppose Trump's Push to Allow On-Farm Meat Processing: 'Food Safety is NOT Red Tape' [15:36]
 
Trump Executive Order Seeks Meat Inspection Modernization by Cutting 'Unnecessary' Requirements, Expanding State Programs [17:16]
 
EU Reaffirms Stance That Glyphosate is Not Carcinogenic After Considering New Data [23:26]
 
Study Shows Food Allergens Can Carry Over From Insect Feed to Edible Insects [27:28]
 
Resources
 
gfJules
 
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Please send us your questions and suggestions to podcast@food-safety.com