In 2023, FSIS investigated six outbreaks in coordination with local, state, and federal public health partners. These outbreaks involved more than 100 illnesses and 30 hospitalizations. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) notified FSIS of five (83%) of these outbreaks. FSIS became aware of the sixth outbreak by notification from a state public health agency. Five (83%) outbreaks involved illnesses in more than one state.
Of the six outbreaks investigated by FSIS in FY 2023, three were caused by Salmonella (serotypes Newport, Saintpaul, and Typhimurium) and two by STEC (serogroup O157:H7). The sixth investigation involved a report of botulism that included commercially canned potted meat (containing chicken and pork) as a potential source. FSIS’ investigation of the establishment where the canned potted meat was produced, and laboratory testing of similar cans, did not determine that the canned potted meat was the source of the illness. The illness was later determined to not be associated with a food source.
Beef products, including beef ground and packaged at retail stores, were the food product of interest for the five Salmonella and STEC outbreaks investigated in FY 2023. The 2023 outbreak investigations did not lead to any recalls of FSIS-regulated products or public health alerts (PHAs).
On January 8, the FDA Coordinated Outbreak Response & Evaluation (CORE) Network released its first annual report summarizing the investigations of foodborne outbreaks and adverse events in FDA-regulated human foods for the 2022 calendar year.
In 2022, CORE evaluated 65 incidents, responded to 28 and issued advisories for 11. These numbers show a slight increase from 2021 when 59 incidents were evaluated with 19 responses and 10 advisories. The investigations in 2022 included E. coli, Cronobacter, hepatitis A virus, Listeria monocytogenes, and Salmonella which were linked to a variety of products, including produce, dairy and fish.
CORE investigations also resulted in numerous public health actions, including recalls, public health advisories, Warning Letters, FDA prevention strategies, a country-wide Import Alert and a Consent Decree. Outbreak advisories were issued for:
E. coli O157:H7 linked to packaged salads
Cronobacter linked to infant formula
Salmonella Senftenberg linked to peanut butter
Hepatitis A Virus linked to strawberries
Unknown contaminant linked to French Lentil and Leek Crumbles
Listeria monocytogenes linked to ice cream
Listeria monocytogenes linked to Brie and Camembert soft cheese products
E. coli O121 linked to frozen falafel
Salmonella Litchfield linked to seafood
Listeria monocytogenes linked to enoki mushrooms
Salmonella Typhimurium linked to sprouts
The 2022 annual report highlights noteworthy outbreaks from 2022, including Listeria monocytogenes linked to enoki mushrooms, Salmonella linked to cantaloupe and Salmonella linked to peanut butter.
The FDA has updated its infant formula compliance program for FDA investigators, laboratory analysts and compliance officers. The updates build on lessons learned over the last several years to elaborate on FDA’s approaches for inspections, sampling, laboratory analysis and imported infant formula products. For example, updates include instructions for annual environmental sampling of Cronobacter and Salmonella at powdered infant formula facilities and instruction for FDA notification should a sample test positive for Cronobacter or Salmonella, or if a sample is found to have nutrients that are above or below required levels per the agency’s infant formula regulation.
The compliance program also includes instructions for how product or environmental positives identified during records reviews should be immediately escalated to the appropriate subject matter expert within the Human Foods Program.
Additional background on the risks associated with Salmonella and Cronobacter in infant formula products, and the conditions that could lead to environmental contamination within the manufacturing facilities, are also included in the updated compliance program.
Inspectors are directed to perform environmental sampling once a year at each domestic powder infant formula manufacturing facility during annual or compliance follow-up inspection for both Cronobacter and Salmonella analysis if there are no significant adverse supply-chain implications.
The Division of Field Programs and Guidance (DFPG) and ORA Critical Foods Coordination Team will prioritize the annual inspection schedule based on:
the facilities’ previous inspection results
number of consumer complaints since the last inspection
number of violative samples collected by FDA in the last twelve months
the previous environmental sampling results performed by FDA
Per the instructions, environmental sampling should focus on zone two sites near potential product exposure points in the process (i.e., transfer points, fluid bed, sifters, rotary valves, man doors into drying system, filling lines, blending equipment, raw material handling equipment, etc.) including any areas indicating water accumulation. Additional sampling should also be done from zone three sites which may suggest a route of contamination (i.e., doorways, traffic routes, etc.) to dry production areas, finished product or food contact surfaces. Zone one sites should not be swabbed as these zones can be hard to reach and may introduce contamination during swabbing of a closed system. Unless conditions observed indicate a possible route of contamination, FDA does not recommend swabbing zone four areas at a high frequency.
Inspectors are advised to collect between 100-300 environmental swabs for Cronobacter spp. and 100-300 environmental swabs for Salmonella spp. at each firm, depending upon the size of the facility.
Drains can harbor pathogens and biofilms in facilities and have been cited as the cause of a Salmonella Motevideo outbreak in Quebec, Canada. For “Investigation of a Salmonella Montevideo Outbreak Related to the Environmental Contamination of a Restaurant Kitchen Drainage System, Québec, Canada, 2020–2021,” (Journal of Food Protection, October 2023), researchers André Paradis, Marie-France Beaudet, Marianne Boisvert Moreau and Caroline Huot, documented the investigation into the outbreak that affected at least 67 people between January 1, 2020 and August 13, 2021. An epidemiological investigation that included whole genome sequencing found that 66% of cases were directly linked to a restaurant in the area.
After an initial evaluation of hygiene, food safety, cases of illness among workers and food sampling failed to establish the source of the outbreak, environmental samples showed that the restaurant’s kitchen drains were contaminated with the same strain of Salmonella Montevideo as the cases in the outbreak. Several cleaning and disinfection methods were used repeatedly. When environmental sampling at the restaurant sites was repeatedly and consecutively negative, cases in the community stopped.
Over the course of the epidemiologic investigation, public health responders learned that the restaurant had experienced an accidental fire in its kitchen before the Salmonella Montevideo outbreak began. According to the Québec City fire department’s incident report, the fire started in—and was limited to—the oven used for cooking chicken.
The authors posited that the fire in the kitchen, which required emergency response from firefighters who used a powder extinguisher first, then a water jet to contain and extinguish the flames, may have played a role in the contamination of the restaurant’s sinks and drains.
The authors concluded that, “The most plausible explanation for the origin of this outbreak remains the contamination of the drains in Restaurant A. The presence of contaminated biofilm in the restaurant’s kitchen drainage system may have had a role to play in the extended duration of this outbreak.”
The FDA has released the results of a March 2021-January 2022 routine sampling program of ready-to-eat (RTE) refrigerated dips and spreads to test for Listeria monocytogenes and Salmonella spp.
The goal of the testing program—launched as part of the FDA’s risk-based approach to food safety, as outlined in the FDA Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA)—is to identify common factors or patterns related to the contamination of RTE dips and spreads. The data collected helps the FDA develop guidance and update program priorities, including sampling assignments and the prioritization of surveillance inspections.
Out of the 747 samples, four were detected to have a human pathogen.
Pathogen Findings: Salmonella
The agency detected Salmonella Havana in one hummus sample collected from a retail establishment in Kingsburg, California. The FDA performed Whole Genome Sequencing (WGS) analysis on the organism and determined that it did not match any known human illnesses and was not linked to any other product or environmental samples.
Pathogen Findings: Listeria monocytogenes
The FDA detected Listeria monocytogenes in three dips and spreads samples—two cheese samples, one cheese and pepper sample—collected from a retail establishment in Colorado Springs, Colorado. All three of the samples were produced by the same manufacturer. WGS analysis on the organisms determined they did not match any known human illnesses and were not linked to any other product or environmental samples.
The agency also detected two subspecies (i.e., Listeria welshimeri, Listeria innocua) of non-pathogenic Listeria spp. in three samples—two collected from retail establishments and one from the manufacturer/processor. Since these samples were non-pathogenic, they were not analyzed by WGS.
The agency noted that the findings suggest that Salmonella spp. and L. monocytogenes were not widespread in the multi-commodity RTE dips and spreads collected nationwide, though it cautioned against making inferences more broadly about the contamination or potential for contamination of RTE dips and spreads based solely on this testing assignment’s findings. “The presence of contamination in the samples suggests the risk of contamination still exists. For example, from FY2017 through FY2022, there were a total of 22 recalls of dips and spreads due to potential Salmonella or L. monocytogenes contamination; of these hummus and cheese dips and spreads make up 64% of the recalls (10 hummus recalls, 4 cheese dips and spread recalls),” the agency stated.
The USDA Food Safety and Inspection Services (FSIS) has updated its voluntary guideline for federally regulated swine slaughter and pork processing establishments to control Salmonella in market hogs from pre-harvest through slaughter. The agency announced that it updated the document in response to comments on the previous guideline and to incorporate current, peer-reviewed scientific references related to pre-harvest controls, swine slaughter, processing of pork cuts, and comminuted pork products.
The guideline covers:
Pre-harvest controls, including farm rearing, multi-hurdle interventions, transport, and lairage
Slaughter controls
Best practice recommendations for pork fabrication controls, including processing, packaging, and distribution controls for pork cuts and comminuted pork products.
In vitro diagnostics provider bioMérieux recently announced its plans to open a new, 32,000 sq. ft. state-of-the-art molecular innovation center at the Navy Yard in Philadelphia. The new site will house the company’s xPRO Program, as well as the company’s Predictive Diagnostics Innovation Center.
The xPRO Program was created to speed development of advanced molecular diagnostics for food quality and safety departments in the food and beverage, nutraceutical and cannabis indsutries.
We spoke with Ben Pascal, head of xPRO at bioMérieux, about the program as well as the challenges and recent advances in the development of molecular assays and predictive diagnostics.
What is the xPro program?
Pascal: xPRO is an entrepreneurial engine for bioMérieux. We have had tremendous success with the molecular assays we’ve built over the years here, and we want to continue to invest in that innovation both in terms of the way we develop these assays, the speed with which we bring them to market, and we want to expand the partnerships that we’ve built with industry. All of these efforts are bolstered through the xPRO program and team.
What are some of the challenges in developing the molecular assays?
Pascal: In the clinical micro sector, you’ve got blood, saliva, and urine, and they are pretty uniform between everyone. When you come to the industrial micro sector, where you’re working with lettuce one day, ground beef the next and then nutraceuticals or spices, it is far more challenging to build a diagnostic that can work across all those matrices.
The challenge is how to create something that is compatible in multiple sectors, is faster and will deliver value over and over in a routine quality testing lab. Experience is crucial. Our team in Philadelphia has built and commercialized more than 30 molecular diagnostics, so we had the opportunity to put together a toolkit, if you will, to help us get through challenging matrices and speed things along with regards to recovery of target organisms.
When you talk about predictive diagnostics, is this related to gaining a better understanding of which pathogens are most likely to cause illness and at what levels?
Pascal: You do have these pathogens, but there’s a whole other concern related to spoilage. Day to day in the food and beverage sector, it’s spoilage that’s affecting quality and your brand reputation and causing recalls.
When it comes to pathogens that can cause foodborne illnesses, one cell is typically the law of the land. But when we say predictive diagnostics, we are isolating unique genes that are 100% predictive of spoilage. We know there are certain organisms that cause spoilage, but not all organisms that spoil are created equal. So what we try to tease out through our genomic and predictive diagnostic center is which unique genes allow one bug within the same species to cause spoilage, while another does not.
Traditionally, a quality director on the floor will say, I have this organism. It might spoil it might not. We’re taking the risk out of the equation. If you have a potential spoilage organism and you know that it has the specific genes that create spoilage, you can make more informed decisions on what you’re going to do with your product in terms of releasing it or remediating it.
For example, in brewing there is a yeast called saccharomyces cerevisiae that is often used. And there is a variant of saccharomyces cerevisiae that has some genes that allow it to use up residual starches in the product to produce gas, which causes the cans to swell and burst.
The problem is, you can’t tell from a culture plate whether your saccharomyces cerevisiae has this variant diastaticus or not—and not all diastaticus will go on to chew up those residual starches as an energy source and produce gas. We’ve identified a unique set of genes, and every time those genes are there, that diastaticus will go on to produce gas and create quality issues. That’s what we refer to as predictive diagnostics.
When you talk about rapid diagnostic testing, can these tests be performed in the food or beverage facility?
Pascal: Yes, they take our equipment and utilize it at their site, whether that be a third party laboratory, the production site of a brewery, a food processing facility or a nutraceutical manufacturer. We manufacture the equipment and the reagents that we’ve developed, and we put that into a test kit that customers can purchase after we’ve installed the equipment at their production site.
Are there any specific food areas that you’re focusing on now?
Pascal: Some of our key focuses relate to beverages, both alcoholic and non-alcoholic. We do quite a lot in nutraceuticals. We do quite a bit of work in cannabis, and in food safety, we’re focused on changing the game with regards to environmental monitoring. With environmental monitoring you’re looking for specific pathogens with the theory being, if you can control your environment, you can control what gets into your food products.
You’re typically looking for one of two pathogens: salmonella or listeria. We said, why not do them both together? And we created a universal medium. By providing specific data points for both pathogens within a single test, it can detect and enrich both salmonella and listeria from the environmental swab.
In all the work we do, our partnerships with industry are very important. The way that we build our pipeline is directly through partnerships with industry, which informs us on their key challenges as well as better ways to make tools. So, when we come out with a new tool, our goal is to not only meet the needs of our partner but meet or exceed the needs of their peers in the industry as well.
The Food Safety Tech’s Hazards Conference + CFI Think Tank “Industry & Academia Advancing Food Safety Practices, Technology and Research” took place April 3-5 in Columbus, Ohio. The event offered two days of practical education on the detection, mitigation, control and regulation of key food hazards, followed by discussion geared toward identifying gaps for research and innovation.
Sandra Eskin, Deputy Under Secretary for Food Safety, USDA FSIS, opened the program to discuss the agency’s proposed Salmonella in poultry framework. She highlighted the need for a more comprehensive approach that includes incentives to bring down the Salmonella load in birds entering the slaughterhouse, enhanced monitoring of safety measures within the facility, and enforceable product standards for raw poultry products.
Day one continued with a focus on Salmonella and Listeria. Barb Masters, VP of Regulatory Policy at Tyson Foods presented “Salmonella: What We’ve Learned and Remaining Gaps in Detection and Mitigation.” Masters highlighted key gaps in Salmonella detection, mitigation and research including:
Correlating what comes from the farm to what is entering a plant
Potential benefits of quantification testing
A better understanding of products that have the highest levels of Salmonella
Identification of virulence factors of different serotypes
The need for rapid testing methods that can be used at the plant level
Sanja Ilic, Ph.D., presented findings on the risks and most effective mitigation methods for listeria in hydroponic systems, followed by a session from Stacy Vernon, Ph.D., on recent listeria outbreaks in RTE meats and ice cream.
Attorneys Bill Marler, founder of Marler Clark, and Shawn Stevens of the Food Industry Counsel opened day two with an overview of the legal and financial risks of food safety hazards. The program continued with a focus on detection and mitigation of pathogens and biofilms.
Session Highlights
Application of Ozone for Decontamination of Fresh Produce with Al Baroudi, Ph.D., VP of Quality Assurance and Food Safety, The Cheesecake Factory, and Ahmed Yousef, Ph.D., Professor and Researcher with the Department of Food Science & Technology, OSU
Estimating Mycotoxin Exposure in Guatemala and Nigeria with Ariel Garsow, Ph.D., Food Safety Technical Specialist at the Global Alliance for Improved Nutrition (GAIN)
Mitigating the Risks of Salmonella and Listeria in Your Facility & Products with Sanjay Gummalla of the American Frozen Food Institute, and Rashmi Rani, Senior Manager of Food Safety and Quality Assurance, Schwan’s Foods
How to Use Whole Genome Sequencing in Operations To Improve Food Safety and Root Cause Analysis with Fabien Robert, Head of Zone AMS, Nestlé
Biofilm Prevention and Control Practices with Charles Giambrone, Food Safety Manager, Rochester Midland
On April 5, attendees joined the Ohio State University Center for Foodborne Illness Research and Prevention (CFI), founded and directed by Barbara Kowalcyk, for its annual “Think Tank.” The program featured student research presentations and an “Einstein Lunch” that brought members of industry together with graduate students and OSU researchers to identify gaps in research in the areas of pathogen detection and mitigation, handwashing and mycotoxins.
“We’re hoping this is the first of future collaborations with CFI and Food Safety Tech, where we have industry and academia presenting together,” said Rick Biros, founder of Food Safety Tech, the Food Safety Consortium and the Food Safety Tech Hazards Conference series. “This is something I feel both academia and industry benefit from, and I look forward to working with Barbara and CFI in the future.”
“I learned a lot myself, and it was great to see this program come together,” said Kowalcyk. “I want to thank the presenters, attendees and all the people who worked behind the scenes to make this event happen.”
Scenes from Food Safety Hazards Conference + CFI Thinktank
Whole genome sequencing (WGS) has become a powerful tool to track the origins of foodborne illness, but if industry views WGS simply as a tool for regulators, it is missing out on a valuable instrument to improve food safety within its facilities. Join Fabien Robert, head of zone AMS for Nestlé Quality Assurance centres, and Food Safety Tech on April 3-5 at Ohio State University, as we take a closer look at:
How WGS can help industry mitigate food safety risks and enhance root cause analysis
How to use WGS in your operations to improve food safety
The Food Safety Tech’s Hazards Conference + CFI Think Tank brings together leading minds in industry and academia for two days of practical education on the detection, mitigation, control and regulation of key food hazards, followed by discussion geared toward identifying gaps for research and innovation.
Charles Giambrone, Food Safety Manager, Rochester Midland
Giambrone received his M.S. degree in Microbiology from Rutgers University in 1978, where his research focus was applied and environmental microbiology. In his current and previous roles as VP & Sr. Technical Support Manager for Rochester Midland Corp, he provides applied research and technical support in the whole area of food safety and sanitation including processing and preparation, membrane cleaning, and water treatment systems plus supervision of R & D projects. Giambrone has a broad and in-depth expertise in the areas of hygiene, disinfection, and biocides. This includes working with systems to remove or prevent biofilm formation in food processing and water system lines as well as other applications.
The USDA’s Proposed Approach to Salmonella Control in Poultry Products
Sandra Eskin, Deputy Under Secretary for Food Safety, Food Safety and Inspection Service, USDA
Sandra Eskin leads the Office of Food Safety at the USDA, overseeing the Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS), which has regulatory oversight for ensuring that meat, poultry and egg products are safe, wholesome and accurately labeled. Prior to joining USDA, Eskin was the Project Director for Food Safety at The Pew Charitable Trusts in Washington, D.C. She also served as the Deputy Director of the Produce Safety Project (PSP), a Pew-funded initiative at Georgetown University from 2008-2009.
RTE Meats and Ice Cream – Mitigating Listeria Risks & Responding to Contamination
Stacy Vernon is the Food Safety and Operations Program Manager at CIFT, where she works alongside food manufactures of all sizes to help them achieve their food safety goals and objectives. She delivers business solutions and technical expertise to her clients as they work towards achieving, maintaining and improving their regulatory and third party food safety certification compliance. Stacy has over 15 years of experience in the food and beverages industry as prior to joining CIFT in 2016, she worked in food safety and quality assurance management roles for Smithfield Foods, Inc. and Rudolph Foods Company.
Janet Buffer, Center for Foodborne Illness & Prevention, OSU
Janet Buffer’s expertise spans across multidisciplinary medical and clinical research centers, higher education institutions, extension agencies, and regulatory departments. Throughout her 28-year professional career, Janet has served in various capacities; relentlessly utilizing her unique skill sets and ability to connect with students and consumers, to thoroughly educate and actively train those around her. She has spearheaded food safety information accuracy efforts and prioritized food production and food safety regulatory compliance in the healthcare and business spheres above all else. All the while, advising and aiding in corporate administration and the improvement of food technologies.
Application of Ozone for Decontamination of Fresh Produce
Al Baroudi, Ph.D., Vice President of Quality Assurance & Food Safety, The Cheesecake Factory
In addition to his current role, Dr. Baroudi has conducted workshops, published White Papers and introduced the HACCP program to developing countries on behalf of the U.S. government. He is the recipient of Borden’s “President Award”, the Sani “Food Safety Champion Award”, and the “Outstanding Food Safety Program Innovation Award,” and the Southern California IFT “Distinguished Achievement Award.” In 2022, NR News named, Dr. Baroudi as one of the top 50 most influential restaurant executives in the country, and The NRA presented him their inaugural Lifetime Achievement Award for “Outstanding Leader in Food Safety.” He was instrumental in passing the Food Facilities Sanitization Bill “AB 1427” in the California State Assembly that cleared the way for the ozone to be approved in California Cal Code (2012).
Ahmed Yousef, Ph.D., Department of Food Science & Technology, Ohio State University
Dr. Yousef earned his Ph.D. in Food Science from University of Wisconsin-Madison. He worked as a postdoctoral researcher at the University of Wisconsin-Madison before joining Ohio State as an Assistant Professor in 1991. Since the late 1990s, Dr. Yousef and his research team have worked to develop methods to pasteurize shell eggs and to decontaminate fresh produce while maintaining products’ fresh qualities. His ozone research led to developing methods to decontaminate spinach, apples, and other fresh produce. As a result of this research, Dr. Yousef established the largest ozone research laboratory in the U.S. at Ohio State.
The detection and mitigation of foodborne illness-causing pathogens continue to be a challenge for all aspects of the food industry from farm to fork. Join Food Safety Tech and the Center for Foodborne Illness Research and Prevention at the Fawcett Center at The Ohio State University on April 3-5 in Columbus, Ohio, for three days of food safety hazards education.
The Food Safety Tech’s Hazards Conference + CFI Think Tank brings together leading minds in industry and academia for two days of practical education on the detection, mitigation, control and regulation of key food hazards, followed by discussion geared toward identifying gaps for research and innovation. The program includes:
The USDA’s Proposed Approach to Salmonella Control in Poultry Products
Sandra Eskin, Deputy Under Secretary for Food Safety, Food Safety and Inspection Service, USDA
Sandra Eskin leads the Office of Food Safety at the USDA, overseeing the Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS), which has regulatory oversight for ensuring that meat, poultry and egg products are safe, wholesome and accurately labeled. Prior to joining USDA, Eskin was the Project Director for Food Safety at The Pew Charitable Trusts in Washington, D.C. She also served as the Deputy Director of the Produce Safety Project (PSP), a Pew-funded initiative at Georgetown University from 2008-2009.
Salmonella: What We’ve Learned and Remaining Gaps in Detection and Mitigation
Dr. Masters is the Vice President of Regulatory Policy, Food and Agriculture at Tyson Foods, Inc., where she provides regulatory vision and support for food safety and quality policies and procedures. She serves on the Board of Directors for the Partnership for Food Safety Education and the Steering Committee for the Global Food Safety Initiative. Dr. Masters spent nine years as a Senior Policy Advisor at Olsson Frank Weeda, where she worked closely to advise with the meat and poultry industry to ensure regulatory compliance, and served as Administrator of the USDA FSIS.
The Legal and Financial Risks of Food Safety Hazards
Bill Marler, Food Safety Attorney, Marler Clark, The Food Safety Law Firm
An accomplished attorney and national expert in food safety, William (Bill) Marler has become the most prominent foodborne illness lawyer in America and a major force in food policy in the U.S. and around the world. Marler Clark, The Food Safety Law Firm, has represented thousands of individuals in claims against food companies whose contaminated products have caused life altering injury and even death.
Shawn Stevens, attorney with the Food Industry Counsel, LLC
Stevens is a nationally recognized food attorney and founding member of the Food Industry Counsel who has dedicated his firm to “Going All-In for Food and All-Out for Those Who Produce It.” He works closely throughout the U.S. and abroad with food industry clients (including the world’s largest growers, processors, restaurant chains, distributors and grocers) helping them protect their brand by complying with FDA and USDA food safety regulations, reducing food safety risk, managing recalls, and defending high-profile food safety cases.
Mitigating the Risks of Salmonella and Listeria in Your Facility & Products
Sanjay Gummalla, Vice President, Regulatory & Technical Affairs, American Frozen Food Institute
Gummalla has broad industry experience in food science, food safety, and nutrition. He is in the forefront of coordinating Listeria monocytogenes prevention and control programs and policy efforts on behalf of the frozen food industry. Prior to joining the American Frozen Food Institute, Gummalla served as VP of product development at Zentis NA. He currently serves on key committees representing the industry, including advisor on the U.S. Agricultural Trade Advisory Committee for Processed Foods, a committee member on IAFP’s Journal of Food Protection, President of the Capital Area Food Protection Association, and chair of the International Food Science Certification Commission.
Rashmi Rani, Senior Manager of Food Safety and Quality Assurance, Schwan’s Home Delivery
Rani has more than 18 years of experience in the food and beverage industry. In her current role she manages food safety programs, QMS, SQF of Florence facility, USDA and FDA compliance, and training. She works with cross functional teams on continuous improvement projects including reduction of nonconformance product cost and rework cost reduction. Prior to joining Schwan’s, Rani worked with AB-Inbev, BakeCo, McCormick Inc. and Wornick food (Baxter’s North America).
Application of Ozone for Decontamination of Fresh Produce
Al Baroudi, Ph.D., Vice President of Quality Assurance & Food Safety, The Cheesecake Factory
In addition to his current role, Dr. Baroudi has conducted workshops, published White Papers and introduced the HACCP program to developing countries on behalf of the U.S. government. He is the recipient of Borden’s “President Award”, the Sani “Food Safety Champion Award”, and the “Outstanding Food Safety Program Innovation Award,” and the Southern California IFT “Distinguished Achievement Award.” In 2022, NR News named, Dr. Baroudi as one of the top 50 most influential restaurant executives in the country, and The NRA presented him their inaugural Lifetime Achievement Award for “Outstanding Leader in Food Safety.” He was instrumental in passing the Food Facilities Sanitization Bill “AB 1427” in the California State Assembly that cleared the way for the ozone to be approved in California Cal Code (2012).
Ahmed Yousef, Ph.D., Department of Food Science & Technology, Ohio State University
Dr. Yousef earned his Ph.D. in Food Science from University of Wisconsin-Madison. He worked as a postdoctoral researcher at the University of Wisconsin-Madison before joining Ohio State as an Assistant Professor in 1991. Since the late 1990s, Dr. Yousef and his research team have worked to develop methods to pasteurize shell eggs and to decontaminate fresh produce while maintaining products’ fresh qualities. His ozone research led to developing methods to decontaminate spinach, apples, and other fresh produce. As a result of this research, Dr. Yousef established the largest ozone research laboratory in the U.S. at Ohio State.
Biofilm Prevention and Control Practices
Charles Giambrone, Food Safety Manager, Rochester Midland
Giambrone received his M.S. degree in Microbiology from Rutgers University in 1978, where his research focus was applied and environmental microbiology. In his current and previous roles as VP & Sr. Technical Support Manager for Rochester Midland Corp, he provides applied research and technical support in the whole area of food safety and sanitation including processing and preparation, membrane cleaning, and water treatment systems plus supervision of R & D projects. Giambrone has a broad and in-depth expertise in the areas of hygiene, disinfection, and biocides. This includes working with systems to remove or prevent biofilm formation in food processing and water system lines as well as other applications.
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