Food Safety Matters

Lily Yasuda is the Deputy Director of the Alliance to Stop Foodborne Illness, where she leads national initiatives that bring together food industry leaders to strengthen food safety culture and support continuous learning across the sector. She oversees collaborative working groups that develop practical, accessible tools to help companies share best practices and improve food safety outcomes. Prior to joining the Alliance, Lily held leadership roles across nonprofit organizations in the U.S., managing large-scale programs and partnerships. Her work focuses on building cross-industry collaboration, translating complex topics into actionable insights, and elevating the human stories behind food safety. 
Athenais Boeffard is a collaborative and people-focused production leader with over a decade of experience in food manufacturing and food safety. As Vice President of Production at Bread Alone Bakery, she oversees daily operations to deliver high-quality, organic baked goods that meet rigorous food safety and sustainability standards. Originally from France, Athenais holds an M.S. degree in Engineering and studied Food Science at Mississippi State University. She has led teams through operational change, built systems for continuous improvement, and fostered a culture where food safety is a shared responsibility. Athenais brings optimism and energy to her work every day, creating an environment where teams feel empowered, engaged, and proud of the food they produce. 
John Boyce has over 45 years of experience in various aspects of food production, food safety, quality assurance, sanitation, training, and auditing. He spent 25 years with Trident Seafoods, starting as a crab fisherman and then working in roles as plant manager, corporate human resources, regulatory compliance, national account sales, FSQA, and then as Director of Training and Development for the company. John is now an independent food safety consultant based in Vancouver, British Columbia. He enjoys working with clients to help them ensure food-safe products, and he is an expert partner and Core Team Member at Cultivate SA, helping assess and change food safety culture in food businesses. John is a citizen of both the U.S. and Canada and has a broad understanding of the cultures and food companies across the two countries. 
In this episode of Food Safety Matters, we speak with Lily, Athenais, and John [49:50] about:
Why the Alliance to Stop Foodborne Illness Mentorship Program was created, and the professional development needs it is intended to address
How the Alliance matches mentors and mentees, and the factors that contribute to a successful and productive mentorship relationship
Athenais and John's experience as mentorship partners, including their initial goals and how their relationship developed over time
Lessons John drew from more than 45 years in food production, FSQA, training, and auditing, and what he learned as a mentor
How Athenais used an outside perspective to work through food safety, operational, and leadership challenges at Bread Alone Bakery
How mentorship can build communication, leadership, and relationship-building skills that may be difficult to develop through technical training alone
The broader value of mentorship for strengthening collaboration, sharing knowledge, and developing professionals across the food safety field.
Sponsored by: Michigan State University
News and Resources
News
Stop Foodborne Illness Kicks Off STOP3000 Food Safety Education Month Fundraiser [3:58]
FDA's Listeria Prevention Public Meeting: Experts Debate Zero Tolerance, Emphasize Environmental Monitoring and Fundamental Controls [11:51]
Harvard Law Analysis Warns Food Safety Preemption Bill Could Impact More Than Additives, Create Oversight Gaps [21:12]
News That USDA Cyclospora Research Was Defunded in 2026 Emerges as Nation's Largest-Ever Outbreak Continues [29:55]
Alfalfa Sprouts Contaminated With Both E. coli, Salmonella Sicken 55 People in 15 States [31:53]
China Investigates Illegal Use of Formaldehyde to Preserve Cabbage [42:15]
Resources
STOP3000 Fundraiser by Stop Foodborne Illness
Alliance to Stop Foodborne Illness Mentorship Program (applications open for 2027 program!)
We Want to Hear from You!
Please send us your questions and suggestions to podcast@food-safety.com

Rhodes Yepsen joined the Biodegradable Products Institute (BPI) in 2015, where he leads the organization's efforts to promote the value of compostable products. Rhodes is passionate about systems-based solutions, where there is synergy in solving for food waste and packaging simultaneously—addressing climate change, ecosystem impacts, and regenerative agriculture. Previously, he served on the Board of USCC, worked for biopolymer producer Novamont, and was a staff editor and writer at BioCycle magazine.
In this episode of Food Safety Matters, we speak with Rhodes [30:05] about:
An overview of California bills AB 2226, AB 1812, and SB 1031, and why the proposed packaging policies matter to food processors and packaging manufacturers nationwide
Potential compliance challenges for food companies navigating evolving California packaging requirements while trying to maintain consistent packaging systems across multiple markets
How compostable food packaging and organics diversion programs can contribute to food waste reduction and broader sustainability goals within the food industry
Why packaging decisions must account for food safety, shelf life, and product protection alongside sustainability and end-of-life considerations
BPI's concerns about the proposals and the revisions it would like lawmakers to consider to support composting infrastructure, organics diversion, and sustainable packaging
Key factors food processors should weigh when selecting packaging amid changing regulations, including food safety requirements, shelf-life needs, and sustainability commitments
How policymakers, food manufacturers, and packaging suppliers can collaborate on sustainable packaging solutions without compromising food safety, product quality, or consumer confidence.
Sponsored by:
Michigan State University
News and Resources
News
FDA Proposes Mandatory GRAS Notifications for Ingredients Introduced to U.S. Food Supply [3:08]
FDA, USDA Submit 'Ultra-Processed Foods' Definition for Final Review [9:35]
FDA Finalizes FSMA Preventive Controls Guidance for Fresh-Cut Produce [16:09]
FAO, Wageningen Researchers Review Broad Range of AI Food Safety Applications [18:53]
FDA Finalizes Guidance for Assessing Human Health Risks of Antimicrobial Use in Food-Producing Animals [26:04]
Resources
Biodegradable Products Institute
We Want to Hear from You!
Please send us your questions and suggestions to podcast@food-safety.com

Brittney Miller is President of Manchester Farms, America's first quail farm. What started over 40 years ago as a backyard hobby has grown into a nationally recognized, family-owned business that produces more than 80,000 quail weekly, raising them responsibly, without antibiotics or hormones, and shipping premium products to chefs, retailers, and home cooks across the country. Brittney's story is about more than farming: it is about stewardship, innovation, and family values. She combines her passion for sustainable agriculture with modern food safety standards. Her SQF Level 2 certified, HACCP-compliant farm sets the benchmark for quality in specialty poultry.
In this episode of Food Safety Matters, we speak with Brittney [28:27] about:
The history of Manchester Farms, America's first quail farm, and how the Miller family built a vertically integrated specialty poultry operation
How food safety considerations for quail production compare with those for more conventional poultry, including unique challenges and operational considerations
What SQF Level 2 certification and a HACCP program look like in practice within a specialty poultry production environment
How HACCP guides day-to-day operations, and how it has evolved as production expands and processes change
News and Resources
News
Researchers Propose Listeria Biofilm Colonization Hypothesis to Explain Persistence in Food Processing Plants [7:05]
Researchers Identify Plastic Food Contact Material Properties, Background Microbes that Influence Listeria Biofilm Persistence [8:52]
Research Collaboration Produces Guidance for Controlling Spore-Forming Bacteria in Plant-Based Beverage Ingredients [17:22]
FDA to Centralize Administrative Functions, Generalize Inspectors [21:00]
We Want to Hear from You!
Please send us your questions and suggestions to podcast@food-safety.com

Mindy Brashears, Ph.D. is the USDA's Under Secretary for Food Safety. Dr. Brashears 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. 
Justin Ransom, Ph.D. is Administrator of USDA's Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS), where he oversees FSIS' mission to ensure the safety, wholesomeness, and proper labeling of America's commercial supply of meat, poultry, and processed egg products. He leads the agency's modernization efforts, streamlining inspection systems, strengthening public health protections, and advancing science-based policies. 
Dr. Ransom brings more than 20 years of executive leadership in food safety, quality systems, animal welfare and sustainability. Immediately prior to his appointment, he served as senior director of sustainable food strategy at Tyson Foods, where he spearheaded enterprise-wide sustainability programs. His diverse industry experience also includes roles at McDonald's and OSI Group, where he managed and advanced complex food supply chains across global markets. 
With roots in production agriculture, Dr. Ransom has worked as a scientist, livestock breeder, and global supply chain leader, deepening his first-hand knowledge of end-to-end food system management. He began his public service career at USDA's Agricultural Marketing Service, contributing to the development of technical standards for the National School Lunch Program, instrument grading systems, and international trade facilitation. 
Dr. Ransom holds a B.S. degree in Agricultural Communications from Texas Tech University and earned an M.S. degree and a Ph.D. in Animal Science from Michigan State University and Colorado State University, respectively. 
In this episode of Food Safety Matters, we speak with Dr. Brashears [4:35] about:
USDA-FSIS' in-progress plans for its Salmonella SAFE Strategy, encompassing a new Salmonella Gold Standard
The data FSIS will be gathering across all poultry facilities and at individual establishments producing higher-risk products
How the new data-gathering initiatives will help FSIS spot trends sooner and take faster action to address food safety issues
FSIS' updated approach to Listeria compliance, and how it plans to address the overreliance among small establishments on compliance method Alternative 3
FSIS' creation of a new Office of Food Safety Scientific Panel, and the areas of FSIS work in which this scientific expertise will be utilized
We also speak with Dr. Ransom [20:11] about:
How USDA-FSIS is shifting from examining individual inspection findings to analyzing connected datasets, and how this will optimize FSIS inspection work
FSIS' use of AI and large language models to help identify food safety risks, and the safeguards FSIS is putting in place to ensure the scientific accuracy and transparency of these tools
How video-enabled glasses and AI-assisted imaging could change how inspections are conducted in the field
How FSIS is preparing inspectors and veterinarians to work alongside new data and AI-enabled tools
The importance of retaining human judgment in food safety oversight as these emerging technologies are rolled out across FSIS departments
Resources
USDA-FSIS Announces Pilot Program to Evaluate Salmonella Control Strategies in Raw Poultry Establishments
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Please send us your questions and suggestions to podcast@food-safety.com

Elena Medo, M.B.A. is an entrepreneur, researcher, and inventor who has spent nearly 40 years transforming neonatal care through leadership and innovation. She has secured numerous patents, raised over $40 million across four companies, and built a legacy of firsts, including the first commercially available shelf-stable donor breast milk product; the first milk bank owned exclusively by nursing mothers; and the first medical device designed to analyze human milk. Today, as CEO and co-founder of Leonie Health PBC, established in 2023 with her daughter, Adrianne Weir, Elena is developing a revolutionary product that replicates the immune properties of colostrum to protect preterm infants against the three deadliest neonatal infections—necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC), ventilator-associated pneumonia (VAC), and sepsis—which together claim the lives of more than 30,000 hospitalized infants per year.
Elena's work is driven by an unwavering commitment to ensure that human milk's unparalleled bioactive benefits reach the world's most vulnerable patients. Companies she has founded—including Prolacta Bioscience, Medolac Laboratories, North American Instruments, and White River Concepts—have applied disruptive technologies to serve the 15 million preterm infants born each year. A frequent speaker at neonatal, women's health, and leadership conferences, Elena holds an M.B.A. degree in Healthcare Management from the University of California, Irvine's Paul Merage School of Business and is widely recognized for assembling world-class teams to solve critical challenges in infant health.
In this episode of Food Safety Matters, we speak with Elena [38:58] about:
Her work in human milk science and the founding of Leonie Health, which offers bioactive infant nutritional products mimicking colostrum to support neonatal health and early development
Reflections on the recent global infant formula recall due to cereulide contamination, which affected 99 countries and multiple brands
Why U.S. disease surveillance systems might miss or misclassify infant foodborne illness cases
What the cereulide incident reveals about risks for infants in neonatal intensive care (NICU) and donor milk settings
Improvements to public health and laboratory systems that would enable earlier detection and response to infant formula contamination incidents and related illnesses
The importance of infant-specific toxicological reference values for contaminants like cereulide, such as those recently established in the EU, and how the EU's response could influence regulatory approaches to other emerging hazards in infant foods
Leonie Health's process for verifying the safety of donor milk
Key principles for clinicians, hospitals, and parents to consider when making decisions about infant feeding when contamination events affect commercial formula products.
News and Resources
News
U.S. Cyclosporiasis outbreak [2:46]:
Experts Set Record Straight on FoodNet, CDC Cuts as Senators Press RFK Jr. for Answers Amid Cyclospora Outbreak
Michigan, Ohio Together Report More than 9,000 Cyclosporiasis Cases; CDC Outbreak Count Exceeds 4,000
Taylor Farms Lettuce Named as Source of U.S. Cyclospora Outbreak
How the U.S. Cyclospora Outbreak Reflects a Strained National Foodborne Illness Surveillance System
Senator Klobuchar Urges CDC, FDA to Restore Food Safety Programs Amid Cyclosporiasis Outbreak
CDC Reports Up to 7,000 Cyclosporiasis Cases Across U.S., Identifies Large Midwestern Outbreak Cluster
Cyclospora Cases Climb, But Actual Number Unclear as CDC Reporting Lags Behind States
Foodborne Parasite Cyclospora Sickens Thousands Across U.S.
Codex Alimentarius news [28:30]
Codex Publishes Strategic Plan for 2026–2031
Codex Adopts Internationally Harmonized Precautionary Allergen Labeling at CAC49
Following Infant Formula Incidents, FDA Urges Manufacturers to Implement Stronger, Substantive Supplier Oversight [29:53]
USDA-FSIS to Expand Testing for Metals in RTE Foods Under National Residue Program [33:59]
Resources
Infant formula cereulide contamination incident:
EFSA Reviews Cereulide Infant Formula Incident, Says Likelihood of Exposure is Low
EFSA Sets Safety Thresholds for Cereulide Toxin in Infant Formula
EFSA to Advise on Cereulide Levels in Infant Formula Following Global Recall
U.S. Cyclosporiasis outbreak:
"Cyclospora cayetanensis: An Emergent Public Health Threat and an Enigma for Traceback Investigation," Food Safety Magazine
"Please Don't Stop Eating Vegetables and Fruits Because of Cyclospora," The Washington Post
"Cyclospora Spreads Through Human Feces. How Did it Get Into Our Food Supply?" The New York Times
"Publisher's Platform: The Traceability Rule was Supposed to be Law in January. This Cyclospora Outbreak Started in May." Food Safety News
We Want to Hear from You!
Please send us your questions and suggestions to podcast@food-safety.com