Beltway Beat

Dr. Donald A. Prater has been named as the Acting Deputy Commissioner for Food at FDA

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FDA announced that Kyle Diamantas, J.D. is now the Acting Commissioner of Food and Drugs, replacing Dr. Martin (Marty) Makary who resigned as the 27th Commissioner of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in May 2026. Dr. Donald A. Prater has been named as the Acting Deputy Commissioner for Food.

As the Acting Deputy Commissioner for Food, Dr. Prater leads the agency’s Human Foods Program, overseeing all FDA nutrition and food safety activities. In this role, Dr. Prater exercises authority over all Human Food Program entities and operations, including resource allocation, risk-prioritization strategy and decision making, policy initiatives, and major response activities involving human foods. Dr. Prater also oversees food resources in the agency’s Office of Inspections and Investigations.

Dr. Prater has presented at both the Food Safety Consortium Conference and as recently at the Food Safety Hazards Conference, in April in St. Louis.

Dr. Mindy Brashears, USDA, Brian Ronholm, CR and Dr. Don Prater FDA at the Food Safety Hazards Conference April 2026

Prior to this role, he served as the agency’s Principal Deputy Associate Commissioner for Food since 2024 and was previously Acting Director of the FDA’s Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition, a role he took on in 2023. He adeptly helped lead the Center during a time of transition, prioritizing nutrition and the safety of the food supply, dietary supplements, and cosmetics while helping to re-envision the organization.

Previously he had been the Associate Commissioner for Imported Food Safety in Office of Food Policy and Response, providing direction to and management of imported food safety programs. In addition, he served as a senior scientific advisor and technical expert on matters related to human and animal food safety and the implementation of the FDA Food Safety Modernization Act. Earlier in his FDA tenure, Dr. Prater was Director of the FDA’s Europe Office in Brussels, Belgium and the Department of Health and Human Services Country Representative to the European Union.

Dr. Prater received a Doctor of Veterinary Medicine from the Virginia-Maryland Regional College of Veterinary Medicine (government and corporate track) in 1996. Following a three-year residency in anatomic pathology, he joined the FDA’s Center for Veterinary Medicine (CVM) in 1999 as a Veterinary Medical Officer. There he served in several roles including leader of the Aquaculture Drugs Team, CVM Pathologist, and Director of the Division of Scientific Support.

Hygiena ZymoSnap ALP

Hygiena® Secures U.S. Trademark for One Health Diagnostics®

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Hygiena ZymoSnap ALP

The United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) has issued a Notice of Allowance for the trademark application of One Health Diagnostics®.

“We are thrilled to receive this Notice of Allowance from the USPTO,” said Amanda Manolis, VP Global Marketing, Scientific Affairs, Product & Program Management at Hygiena. “The One Health Diagnostics® mark reinforces our leadership in the category we are building and leading as the authority in rapid diagnostics. This recognition reinforces Hygiena’s role in advancing diagnostics beyond food safety into a fully integrated system that protects global health through data-driven insight and end-to-end visibility.

The global diagnostics market is undergoing a structural shift from isolated testing methods to integrated, intelligence-driven platforms. Hygiena’s One Health Diagnostics® portfolio is designed to meet this shift by delivering capabilities across the entire food safety and environmental monitoring value chain, from ATP hygiene and sanitation verification with UltraSnap®, AquaSnap® and KLEANZ®, to molecular, pathogen detection workflows with BAX® and foodproof® RT-PCR Systems. Our portfolio, which includes allergen and gluten detection with GlutenTox®, GMO and supply chain transparency testing to public health and environmental surveillance, empowers data-driven decision-making at every stage. More than just testing, our solutions protect public health, food security and sustainability.

Through platforms including SureTrend® Food Safety Management Software along with the newest addition to the Hygiena portfolio, KLEANZ® Sanitation Management, transform ATP, PCR, sanitation, and environmental data into real-time operational decisions, strengthening compliance, improving quality programs, and supporting continuous improvement.

Our One Health Diagnostics® ethos places Hygiena among the few organizations worldwide with a comprehensive portfolio covering the entire food safety value chain. At the core of One Health Diagnostics® is a shift from testing alone to connected diagnostics ecosystems, delivering actionable insights that drive smarter, faster and more sustainable decision-making.

Beltway Beat

Trump Planning to Fire FDA Commissioner Marty Makary

By Food Safety Tech Staff
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According tho the Wall Street Journal, President Trump has signed off on a plan to fire Food and Drug Administration Commissioner Marty Makary.

Top administration officials have become increasingly convinced Makary has to go because, in addition to months of turmoil, complaints from some in the pharmaceutical industry have continued to mount, people familiar with the matter said. Kennedy last year had considered installing someone else to run the FDA while Makary remained a figurehead.

The Wall Street Journal reported that Trump recently became frustrated with Makary for not moving fast enough to approve flavored vapes and other nicotine products. Makary in February refused to authorize blueberry and mango vape flavors from Los Angeles manufacturer Glas, worried that fruit flavors would encourage youth vaping. After the pressure from Trump, he reversed course and authorized the flavors. Makary has also run into criticism from biotech companies with rare-disease drugs, as well as patients and their advocates.

Marjorie Dannenfelser, the influential president of antiabortion group Susan B. Anthony Pro-Life America, recently renewed her call for Makary to be fired. The Wall Street Journal reported that Makary said he could have stalled approval of a generic form of the abortion pill, but didn’t.

Trump tapped Makary for the FDA post in November 2024, as Kennedy and other health department leaders bonded in meetings at Dr. Mehmet Oz’s oceanfront Florida mansion. Kennedy described Makary, along with Oz and National Institutes of Health Director Jay Bhattacharya, as “friends” who stayed in each other’s homes and vacationed together, in a Fox News interview last year.

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Beltway Beat

USDA Announces Food Safety and Inspection Service Reorganization, Establishes National Food Safety Center in Iowa

By Food Safety Tech Staff
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Last week, the U.S. Department of Agriculture announced a reorganization of the Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) to modernize operations, streamline support functions and better align the agency with the nation’s agricultural landscape. As part of this effort, USDA will establish a new National Food Safety Center (NFSC) in Urbandale, Iowa, which will serve as the primary hub for FSIS administrative, technical and support operations.

Opponents, including some Democratic lawmakers, have raised concerns that these types of reallocations are used to downsize agency effectiveness and affect morale, rather than improve services.

Marion Nestle says the move will gut the agency, destroy its expertise, and disable it for years to come. She adds “That has to be the intent. Add these to the 27,000 people who have already left USDA since Trump II, 37% of its staff.  Surely, some of those people helped get the agency’s work done.”

Establishing a Central Hub for Food Safety Operations

FSIS will repurpose existing USDA space in Urbandale, Iowa, to establish the new National Food Safety Center (NFSC), which will become the agency’s largest office in the United States with approximately 200 employees.

The NFSC will serve as FSIS’ primary location for headquarters support functions, including resource management, training, food safety education, financial operations, information technology and administrative services. By consolidating these functions in a centrally located hub, FSIS will reduce duplication, improve coordination and expand access to career opportunities for employees across the country. The establishment of the NFSC marks a significant shift in the agency’s operational footprint, placing key functions closer to the agricultural and food production systems that FSIS regulates and supports.

Expanding Scientific Leadership in Georgia

FSIS will also establish a Science Center in Athens, Georgia, building on its existing Eastern Field Services Laboratory and expanding its capabilities in microbiology, chemistry and epidemiology. The Science Center will strengthen FSIS’ scientific leadership and ensure continued access to top-tier academic institutions, a robust public health workforce and key industry partners.

Aligning Workforce and Functions Nationwide

Under the reorganization, FSIS will relocate approximately two-thirds of its National Capital Region workforce to mission-critical locations, including the National Food Safety Center in Iowa and the Science Center in Georgia.

Approximately 200 positions will be relocated from Washington D.C, while roughly 100 positions will remain to support congressional engagement, policy development and interagency coordination. FSIS will also establish a presence in Fort Collins, Colorado, for staff supporting international activities, further aligning the agency with USDA’s broader geographic footprint.

Maintaining Continuity in Food Safety Operations

The reorganization does not impact FSIS’ frontline inspection workforce which represents 85 percent of employees and operates across more than 6,800 regulated establishments. All food safety inspection activities and public health protections will continue without interruption, and the reorganization does not include any reduction in force. All FSIS employees will retain positions within the agency.

Track and Trace, traceability, supply chain

Benefits of Traceability Solutions Research Results Announced

By Carlos Alejandrino, Wiggs Civitillo
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Track and Trace, traceability, supply chain

Starfish recently conducted an analysis of the benefits of traceability solutions. This study had over 300 respondents across various food-related sub-industries, including produce, meat, seafood, dairy, eggs, packaged & manufactured goods. The surveyed companies spanned across production, logistics, retail, and services functions across the industry value chain. Respondents came from both large and small companies, with employees from Kroger, Merck, and Amazon included.

Survey Method

Respondents were asked which benefits they Intended and Incurred/ Experienced when utilizing traceability benefits, additionally they were asked which benefit they felt was the Most Valuable. Four answers were offered: (1) Improve Compliance, Insurance, and Legal; (2) Improve Operational Efficiency; (3) Reduce Impact of Recalls, Waste, and Errors; and (4) Increase Revenue. These four options were based on categories of traceability benefits defined by Planet Tracker.

Survey Results

Reducing the Impact of Recalls, Waste, and Errors was a significant reason for companies engaging with traceability solutions. This answer was the #1 most chosen intended benefit in 7 out of 10 respondent categories, with it being the #2 most chosen in the other 3 categories.

Reducing the Impact of Recalls, Waste, and Errors and Increasing Revenue were equally common benefits that respondents Incurred / Experienced. Both answers were the #1 most chosen Intended benefit in 5 out of 10 respondent categories, with both being either the #1 or #2 most chosen in all categories.

Interestingly, when asked which benefit of utilizing traceability was the most valuable, the other two answer options gained prominence. Improving Operational Efficiency was the #1 most chosen as the Most Valuable benefit in 8 out of 10 categories, with it being the #2 most chosen in the other 2 categories. Uniquely, Improving Compliance, Insurance, and Legal was the #1 Most Valuable benefit for Dairy and Egg companies, this being the only time it appeared as the most significant benefit in any question and the largest gap between the #1 and #2 most chosen benefit across sub-industry categories.

Empirical Findings

Recall, Waste, and Error impact reductions in findings from empirical studies come in the form of greater speed and information quality. In a survey conducted by Sparling and others (2011), 60% of growers and processors chose “faster and more precise recalls” as the greatest benefit to tracing services. This significance is supported by examples of major efficiency in recall management. Including outbreak-source identification time reduction from 35 days to 6 days and a reduction in the direct costs of recalls by 90% for short shelf life products (like fresh seafood) and by 95% for longer shelf life products (like frozen seafood) [Planet Tracker].

Increasing Revenue results in empirical findings come in the form of price premiums and greater sales volumes. The Sparling and others (2011) survey included supply chain efficiencies (operational efficiency) or increased market access (revenue) as the next most common responses for the greatest traceability benefits. Revenue increase can come from increase can from expanded markets and increased customer demand, which 50-62% of firms reported in a Planet Tracker survey. Chinese and Japanese consumers expressed that they would be willing to pay a 6% and 10% premium for traceable seafood [Planet Tracker].

Improving Operational Efficiency benefits in empirical findings span multiple types of outcomes. An Indonesian fishing company experienced a 10% reduction in unproductive vessel trips [Pointrek]. Fresh Del Monte experienced energy and efficiency savings of 15 – 30% [Strailey 2023]. A study on the Spanish vegetable industry found reduced production disruptions of 90%, lower indirect costs of 20%, increased warehousing capacity of 15% and cut safety stock of 30%.

The Dairy and Egg sub-industry’s focus on Improving Compliance, Insurance, and Legal could stem from the sector’s heightened frequency of recalls, with Dairy accounting for the most recalls by far in Q1 2025, with the number being consistent in 2024 [Global Food Recall Index 2025].

Conclusion

Reducing the Impact of Recalls, Waste, and Errors, and Revenue Increases are the most intended and experienced benefits of traceability services. Operational Efficiency is the most valuable benefit, this remains consistent across company roles and sub-industries, with Dairy a possible exception.

Sources:

Starfish strives to improve the safety of food. The team believes in the ability of traceability solutions to drive impactful benefits to achieve this goal and hopes that this and further research will drive awareness for the potential of traceability.

Eskin and Mettler
Beltway Beat

Call For Presentation and Poster Abstracts for the 15th Annual Food Safety Consortium Conference

By Rick Biros
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Eskin and Mettler

Food Safety Tech invites you to submit abstracts for consideration for the 2026 Food Safety Consortium Conference, October 21-23, 2026 in Washington DC

The 15th Annual Food Safety Consortium will take place October 21-23, 2026, at the Crystal Gateway Marriott, Arlington VA directly across the Potomac River from  Washington, DC. The Program starts with several pre-conference workshops and training which leads into two full days of high-level panel discussions and educational presentations.

2019 FSC Audience

The 15th Annual Food Safety Consortium is a conference for food safety and quality assurance professionals that equips attendees with cutting-edge knowledge, practical skills, and a collaborative network to enhance their professional development as champions of food safety and innovation in the production of foods and beverages.

The conference’s mission is to elevate industry standards, and the exploration of key scientific and regulatory developments impacting public health and safety and its implications for food production. The Food Safety Consortium represents an invaluable opportunity for professionals to engage with leading experts, exchange insights, and collectively advance best practices in food safety. The conference scope includes both human and pet foods.

“Our conference committee has been advising me on the program. Attendees should expect to see topics such as the rise in digital transformation in food safety and quality, the impact of AI, risk management, FSQA benchmarking as well as continuing the discussion on the case for a single food protection agency.” said Rick Biros, Content Director & Publisher, Food Safety Tech.

Biros added, “this year is the 15th anniversary of FSMA, Food Safety Tech and The Food Safety Consortium. The big question is, has FSMA improved food safety in the 15 years? We plan to address that question as well as what do we need to do to improve food safety on a macro scale and in individual companies. What is the benchmark we measure against and what is our goals and timeline? Let’s call it our Food Safety Moon Shot!”

2026 Advisory Committee

  • Shahram Ajamian, Senior Director Global Quality and Food Safety Governance, McCormick
  • Al Baroudi, MS, Ph.D., Vice President, QA & Food Safety, The Cheesecake Factory
  • Jason P. Bashura, MPH, RS, PepsiCo R&D, Global Food Safety & Quality Assurance, Sr. Manager, Global Food Defense, PepsiCo
  • Peter Begg, Chief Quality and Food Safety Officer at Lyons Magnus
  • Rick Biros, Content Director & Publisher, Food Safety Tech (Committee Chairperson)
  • April Bishop, Chief Food Safety Officer, Urban Farmer
  • Byron D. Chaves, PhD., Associate Professor & Food Safety Extension Specialist, Department of Food Science and Technology
University of Nebraska-Lincoln
  • Michael Ciepiela,VP of Quality and Continuous Improvement, Southern Specialties
  • Darin Detwiler, L.P.D. Founder, Detwiler Consulting, LLC
  • Tracy Fink, Founder & Principal Advisor, ThinkFink Solutions, LLC
  • Melody Ge, Sr. Food Safety&Quality Advisor, MarsMel LLC, and President, Women In Food Safety
  • Jorge Hernandez, Quality Assurance VP, The Wendy’s Company
  • Jill Hoffman, Senior Director, Food Safety and Quality
B&G Foods, Inc
  • Justyce Jedlicka, NA Commercial Applications – Food & Beverage Regulatory Science & Lab Solutions, BioMonitoring, MilliporeSigm
  • Barbara C. Kowalcyk, Ph.D., Associate Professor and Director of Institute for Food
    Safety and Nutrition Security, Milken Institute School of Public Health, George Washington University
  • Jennifer Lott, Technical Development Director – Certification and Tailored Solutions, SGS North America
  • Melanie Neumann, President, Neumann Advisory Services, LLC
  • Debby Newslow, President, D. L. Newslow & Associates, Inc.

Submission Deadline: All abstracts must be submitted by Friday, May 22, 2026

Go to FoodSafetyConsortium.org and click on the Submit an Abstract button or use this link below:

Click Here to Submit an Abstract

The Cannabis Quality Conference is back! The Cannabis Quality Conference and the Food Safety Consortium will take place under one roof and at the same time. With both food and cannabis markets innovating relentlessly with new technology and best practices to improve quality and safety, the two conferences running alongside each other will allow for a meeting of the minds like no other.

Dollar

Unilever Nears Deal to Create $60 Billion Food Giant With McCormick

By Randy Knotts
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Dollar

According to the Wall Street Journal, Unilever is in advanced talks to combine its food business with spice-maker McCormick in a deal that would create a new food behemoth worth roughly $60 billion, including debt, according to people familiar with the matter.

The transaction is expected to be announced as early as Tuesday, March 31, 2026, following a board meeting on Monday to review final details.

The proposed merger between Unilever and McCormick in March 2026 brings both opportunities and risks regarding food safety, largely driven by the complexity of integrating two global supply chains.
General industry data suggests that while “transformational” mergers can lead to a 48% decrease in the volume of food recalled due to increased market concentration and quality investment, failure to integrate safety cultures properly can lead to production stoppages and reputational damage.
Beltway Beat

UPDATE: Outbreak Investigation of E. coli O157:H7 in Raw Cheddar Cheese. Was it from RAW FARM or Not??

By Rick Biros
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Update March 30, 2026: Since the last FDA announcement on March 15, 2026, two (2) additional illnesses have been reported. A total of nine (9) people infected with the outbreak strain of E. coli have been reported from three (3) states. Illnesses started on dates ranging from September 1, 2025, to February 20, 2026. Three (3) people have been hospitalized and one (1) person developed hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS), a serious condition that can cause kidney failure. No deaths have been reported. Over half of the illnesses are in children under five (5) years old.

State and local public health officials are interviewing people or their caregivers about the foods they ate in the week before they got sick. Of the eight (8) people interviewed, all eight (8) (100%) in this outbreak reported consuming or being served raw dairy products.

Of the eight (8) people interviewed, seven (7) had brand information available. One (1) person drank raw milk but didn’t know the brand. Of the seven (7) people interviewed who knew a brand, seven (7) (100%) reported RAW FARM-brand dairy products. In 2026, five (5) people reported consuming or being served RAW FARM-brand raw cheddar cheese. In 2025, two (2) sick people reported consuming RAW FARM-brand raw milk. Affected RAW FARM-brand raw milk from 2025 should no longer be for sale.

Whole genome sequencing (WGS) analysis of E. coli isolates from ill people shows that they are all closely related genetically to each other. This means that people in this outbreak are likely to share a common source of infection.

FDA has initiated an onsite inspection at RAW FARM, LLC in coordination with state partners. To date, FDA is not aware of any positive E. coli tests in RAW FARM-brand raw cheddar cheese products from this time period. FDA will update this advisory should additional information become available.

Original News Story March 19, 2026: The FDA and CDC, in collaboration with state and local partners, are investigating a multistate outbreak of E. coli O157:H7 infections as reported on FDA’s website

As of March 14, 2026, a total of 7 confirmed infections have been reported from three states, including CA (5), FL (1), and TX (1). Known illness onset dates range from September 1, 2025 to February 13, 2026. Whole genome sequencing analysis of E. coli isolates from ill people shows that they are all closely related genetically to each other. This means that people in this outbreak are likely to share a common source of infection. Additionally, 4 of 7 cases are 3 years old or younger. Two patients have been hospitalized. No deaths or HUS cases have been reported.

State and local public health officials have interviewed 3 ill people about food exposures of interest in this outbreak. All 3 people (100%) reported eating RAW FARM- brand raw cheddar cheese. State and local officials are working to gather additional data for the 4 other illnesses, including 2 illnesses that occurred in 2025. Epidemiologic evidence indicates that RAW FARM-brand raw cheddar cheese products made by RAW FARM, LLC are the likely source of this outbreak.

FDA has recommended that RAW FARM, LLC voluntarily remove their raw cheese products from the market, and the firm has declined.

On the company’s website, RAW FARM issued their official statement “We 100% disagree with FDA’s false possible link and extreme allegations.” Aaron McAFee, President of RAW FARM is filmed in a 2:13 minute YouTube video explaining their position.

FDA states, the investigation is ongoing to determine the source of contamination and whether additional products are linked to illnesses. To date, to FDA’s awareness, no RAW FARM-brand cheddar cheese products from this time period have tested positive for E. coli. As part of this investigation, state partners initiated collection of product samples for testing and analysis, but results are not yet available.

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Beltway Beat

FDA Releases the CORE 2024 Annual Report: Investigations of Foodborne Outbreaks and Adverse Events in FDA-Regulated Foods

By Food Safety Tech Staff
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On March 17, 2026, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA) Office of Coordinated Outbreak Response, Evaluation, & Emergency Preparedness (CORE+EP) released its annual report summarizing the investigations of foodborne illness outbreaks and certain adverse events in FDA-regulated human foods for the 2024 calendar year.

The FDA’s CORE+EP, originally established in 2011 as the CORE Network, expanded in October 2024 to include an emergency preparedness team focused on food defense, traceability, and supply chain management. One of CORE+EP’s missions is to find, stop, and aid in the prevention of foodborne illness outbreaks. This is accomplished through disease surveillance, outbreak response, post-response activities, and collaboration with the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), state and local public health agencies, and international public health partners. Every year, CORE teams evaluate and respond to numerous foodborne outbreaks and certain adverse events linked to FDA-regulated products.

In 2024, CORE teams evaluated 72 incidents, responded to 26, and issued advisories for 10. These numbers remain similar to those from recent years, with 69 incidents evaluated, 25 responses, and 10 advisories issued in 2023. In 2024, CORE investigations resulted in numerous public health actions, including recalls, public health advisories, a Warning Letter, a consent decree of permanent injunction, and FDA prevention strategies.

The 2024 annual report highlights a few noteworthy outbreaks: a large outbreak of E. coli linked to carrots, a historical outbreak of illnesses associated with cheese, and a novel series of adverse events linked to certain chocolate bars, cones, and gummies.

Food Safety Culture Club

Catalyst Food Leaders Announces 2026 Virtual Leadership Summit for the Food Industry

By Food Safety Tech Staff
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Catalyst Food Leaders will host its second annual Catalyst Leadership Summit on April 8, 2026, a virtual event designed to help food industry professionals rethink how leadership shapes culture, performance, and long-term business success.
Centered on the theme “Reimagining Leadership,” the summit will bring together leaders from across food manufacturing, operations, food safety, and executive leadership for a half-day of practical insights and real-world leadership conversations.

The event will feature keynote speaker Candice McGlen, author of Engage Us Now!, who will challenge leaders to rethink culture change as a grassroots effort that begins with individual ownership. Additional sessions will explore how leaders can build systems that support leadership development, address unconscious bias that limits growth, and create stronger team cultures that drive performance.

“Technical excellence has long defined leadership in food,” said Tia Glave, President of Catalyst Food Leaders. “But the industry’s biggest challenges today – retention, accountability, culture, and burnout – require leaders to develop people with the same intentionality they apply to operations.”

Registration and event details are available at: https://www.catalystfoodleaders.com/leadership-summit