In this episode of Don’t Eat Poop!, our hosts Matt and Francine are joined by Steven Mandernach, Executive Director at the Association of Food and Drug Officials, straight from the Food Safety Consortium 2024.

“I never thought of it that way” is something you’ll catch yourself saying throughout this episode full of gems.

Prepare yourself to better understand the harsh realities of being a food inspector, the consequences of the planned budgetary cuts by the FDA to food inspections, how food e-commerce could be better regulated, and more.

In this episode:

💩 [01:07] AFDO and what it does for state and local regulators

💩 [03:31] Understand the FDA Reorganization Plan and its impacts

💩 [08:06] Rethinking the requirements for food inspectors

💩 [10:40] Just-in-time training and specialization

💩 [14:15] FDA information sharing challenges

💩 [17:15] The realities of food inspector salaries

💩 [18:42] A hopeful solution for the information sharing issues

💩 [20:50] When state departments step in for USDA and FDA

💩 [25:45] The food safety challenges of food e-commerce

💩 [32:01] AFDO and lobbying

💩 [33:26] What to do when going through difficult budget times

💩 [34:55] The contracting system between the states and the FDA

💩 [38:17] The FDA’s sometimes questionable risk analysis

💩 [40:23] The sheer deficit of food inspectors

💩 [43:38] Get the F out of the FDA

💩 [45:39] How the reorg is going so far

💩 [47:31] The FDA’s dilemma: a public health or regulatory organization?

💩 [49:45] What’s good about the Food Safety Consortium 2024

Disclaimer: Episode title and content do not constitute legal or health advice.

Resources from this episode

Learn more about AFDO at afdo.org.

Noteworthy quotes from this episode

“So, if I were a commissioner right now of the Food and Drug Administration, I hope they realize this is your last chance to fix food. If you don't do it, a single food agency is next. I mean, I really don't think you get another bite at the apple, you've had all of them now.” – Steven Mandernach

We hope you enjoy this episode!

Remember to subscribe, rate, and review the podcast on your favorite podcast platform. Together, we can raise awareness and make a positive impact in the world of food safety!

We'd love to hear from you!

Connect with Steven, Francine, Matt, and the "Don't Eat Poop!" show on LinkedIn!

Share your thoughts and feedback on the show and feel free to offer any topics you would like to hear discussed.

Check out Francine's book Who Watches the Kitchen? on Amazon!

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Produced by Ideablossoms

In this episode of Don’t Eat Poop!, our hosts Matt and Francine have just gotten back from the Food Safety Consortium 2024 and they’re sharing everything while it’s still fresh in their minds.

You will hear all about their experience and their biggest takeaways. You will also be in the know about the amazing interviews they have coming your way.

So, don’t miss this event recap!

In this episode:

💩 [01:32] An exciting start to the Food Safety Consortium 2024

💩 [04:19] The best networking event in food safety

💩 [07:29] The difference being in Washington D.C. made

💩 [09:11] The interviews they did and that are coming your way

💩 [11:11] The Women in Food Safety networking event

💩 [13:35] The sense of community around industry colleagues

💩 [15:34] The missed opportunities of our legal system

💩 [16:47] What you can expect in the upcoming episodes

💩 [17:36] A taste of fame

💩 [18:48] Matt’s and Francine’s biggest takeaways from the Consortium

💩 [21:32] Food safety concerns aren’t the same all over the world

💩 [23:47] Concerns about the FDA’s Reorganization Plan

💩 [25:00] The right reason for wearing black gloves

Disclaimer: Episode title and content do not constitute legal or health advice.

Resources from this episode

Stay up to date on all things Food Safety Consortium for next year’s edition here.

Catch up on our interview with Rick Biros, the organizer of the Food Safety Consortium, on last year’s edition, Episode 37 | Integrating Cannabis into The World of Food Safety with Rick Biros.

Learn more about Women in Food Safety.

Catch up on the episode about the FDA’s plans to cut food funding to the states, Episode 69 | A Look at the FDA’s Reorganization Plan and Some Food Safety Mythbusting.

Noteworthy quotes from this episode

“Really, truly the Food Safety Consortium is the best networking event that I have ever been to.” – Matthew Regusci

“Corporate culture has got to change before we can change food safety culture and that's where we need to start. I know that's where the difference is going to be made.” – Francine L Shaw

We hope you enjoy this episode!

Remember to subscribe, rate, and review the podcast on your favorite podcast platform. Together, we can raise awareness and make a positive impact in the world of food safety!

We'd love to hear from you!

Connect with Francine, Matt, and the "Don't Eat Poop!" show on LinkedIn!

Share your thoughts and feedback on the show and feel free to offer any topics you would like to hear discussed.

Check out Francine's book Who Watches the Kitchen? on Amazon!

_______

Produced by Ideablossoms

In this episode of Don’t Eat Poop!, our hosts Matt and Francine are talking about the hot topic of the past few weeks: the deadly McDonald’s E. Coli outbreak.

This is a multistate outbreak with cases in 13 states and one death so far. Tune in to learn more about the facts surrounding the outbreak as well as Matt’s and Francine’s expert opinions on the situation.

They’ll also address the food safety controversy around Donald Trump’s publicity stunt at a McDonald’s on October 20, 2024.

In this episode:

💩 [03:15] The current McDonald’s E. Coli outbreak

💩 [05:10] The source of the outbreak and what we should worry about

💩 [09:09] The incredible shift that happened over a generation

💩 [11:11] The process to confirm the outbreak source

💩 [12:28] When the issue is most likely in the supply chain

💩 [17:09] Food safety facts about Trump’s publicity stunt at McDonald’s

💩 [24:27] Trip down fast food memory lane

Disclaimer: Episode title and content do not constitute legal or health advice.

Resources from this episode

Catch up with our talk with Tia and Jill from Catalyst LLC. in Episode 36 | Food Safety Talk with Tia Glave and Jill Stuber from Catalyst.

Check out Burger King’s vintage commercial Francine mentions, Have It Your Way.

Food Safety News articles on this Outbreak (up until October 28, 2024):

• McDonald’s linked to deadly outbreak of E. coli infections
• McDonald’s says Taylor Farms supplied onions linked to deadly E. coli outbreak
• More patients identified in outbreak traced to McDonald’s; Taylor Farms recalls onions
• Colorado and McDonald’s officials say hamburger was not a source of E. coli outbreak

Noteworthy quotes from this episode

“I've been in these Taylor Farms facilities, their sanitization routine is amazing. So, if they had a bad batch of E. Coli laced onions that went through the facility, the chances of that E. Coli being still in that facility, either on the belts, on the machines, or in anything is close to zero. They're not clean, they are sanitized.” – Matthew Regusci

“You can't go into a McDonald's and say, ‘I want a rare burger’. It isn't going to happen. They're not going to give you a rare burger. Policies and procedures that they have in place for cooking those burgers are pretty intense. You might get a burnt one, but the odds of getting a rare one are pretty slim.” – Francine L Shaw

We hope you enjoy this episode!

Remember to subscribe, rate, and review the podcast on your favorite podcast platform. Together, we can raise awareness and make a positive impact in the world of food safety!

We'd love to hear from you!

Connect with Francine, Matt, and the "Don't Eat Poop!" show on LinkedIn!

Share your thoughts and feedback on the show and feel free to offer any topics you would like to hear discussed.

Check out Francine's book Who Watches the Kitchen? on Amazon!

_______

Produced by Ideablossoms