Ep. 198. Dr. Jim Fredericks: Controlling Rodent Risks in Food Facilities
Release Date: 07/22/2025
Ep. 210. Campbell Mitchell: Executive Leadership in Food Safety on a Global Scale
Food Safety Matters
Campbell Mitchell, M.B.A., is Head of Food Safety and Compliance for Kraft Heinz North America. He has more than 30 years of international experience in food safety, quality management, and risk mitigation. Prior to joining Kraft Heinz, Campbell served as Vice President of Quality and Safety at Fairlife LLC, a $4-billion Coca-Cola-owned dairy brand. He has also held senior leadership roles with Kerry Group and Almarai in the Middle East. Additionally, he founded a consultancy that supported Tiger Brands in Africa. A microbiologist by training, Campbell holds a Postgraduate Diploma in...
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Ep. 209. Helena Bottemiller Evich: The MAHA Effect on American Food Policy
Food Safety Matters
Helena Bottemiller Evich is the Founder and Editor-in-Chief of Food Fix. She previously led coverage of food and agriculture at POLITICO for nearly a decade, winning numerous awards for her work, including a prestigious George Polk Award for a series on climate change and two James Beard Awards for features on nutrition and science. In 2022, she was a James Beard Award finalist for a deep dive on diet-related diseases and COVID-19. Helena is also a sought-after speaker and commentator on food issues, appearing on CNN, MSNBC, CBS, BBC, NPR, and other outlets. Her work is widely cited in the...
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Yiannas, McDonald, Besser, Hedberg: Fixing the Outbreak Investigation System
Food Safety Matters
Frank Yiannas, M.P.H. is a renowned food safety leader and executive, food system futurist, author, professor, past president of the International Association of Food Protection (IAFP), and advocate for consumers. Most recently, he served under two different administrations as the Deputy Commissioner for Food Policy and Response at the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), a position he held from 2018–2023, after spending 30 years in leadership roles with Walmart and the Walt Disney Company. After retiring from FDA, Mr. Yiannas founded Smarter FY Solutions to help organizations address...
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Ep. 208: Reviewing 2025—A Year of Change for Food Safety Policy
Food Safety Matters
In this episode of Food Safety Matters, we discuss the top food safety stories of 2025 and their implications. We cover: The Trump Administration's impact on federal agencies overseeing food safety [7:52]: States and the “Make America Healthy Again” (MAHA) movement declare war on "toxic" food chemicals and ultra-processed foods (UPFs) [27:52]: FDA’s focus on infant formula safety and the infant botulism outbreak linked to ByHeart formula [57:44]: Emerging science on Listeria monocytogenes...
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Ep. 207. Brian Sylvester: Preparing for ‘MAHA’-Driven Policy Changes on Food Dyes, UPFs, GRAS
Food Safety Matters
Brian P. Sylvester, J.D. is a Partner and Head of Food Regulatory in Morrison Foerster's FDA and Healthcare Regulatory and Compliance Group, and is an influential thought leader and practitioner in food tech regulation. Brian counsels clients across the full lifecycle of regulated products, serving global brands, startups, life sciences companies, investors, and trade associations. In the area of food and beverage, Brian develops regulatory strategies to commercialize a range of food tech innovations, including transgenic crops and alternative proteins, such as cultivated meat and...
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Ep. 206. Jay Berglind: In Fearless Pursuit of Safer Eggs and Food Safety Innovation
Food Safety Matters
Jay Berglind is a nationally respected food safety expert and the principal of Aegis Foods, a consultancy focused on strengthening food safety systems across the supply chain. Aegis Foods is also the maker of Fearless Eggs, the only pasteurized in-shell and poached eggs that are safe to eat raw. With more than 25 years of experience in food manufacturing, regulatory compliance, and quality assurance, Jay is a trusted voice on preventing foodborne illness, understanding federal regulations, and responding to product recalls. Jay has served in leadership roles overseeing food safety and...
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Ep. 205. Black and Gabor: Digital Transformation and Emerging International Standards for Food Safety
Food Safety Matters
Tom Black is the First Assistant Secretary of the Exports and Veterinary Services Division at the Australian Government's Department of Agriculture, Fisheries, and Forestry. In this role, he is responsible for regulating and facilitating Australia's exports of animal commodities and certified organic products, while also providing the overarching technical food safety framework for both food exports and imports. Tom leads the Australian Government's bilateral and multilateral technical market access negotiations for these commodities and represents Australia in international...
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Kris Sollid: What Does Consumer Sentiment Say About the Safety of the U.S. Food Supply?
Food Safety Matters
Kris Sollid, R.D., is the Senior Director for Research and Consumer Insights at the International Food Information Council (IFIC). A registered dietitian with a passion for improving nutrition science communications, his role at IFIC includes leading consumer research projects, educational resource development, social and traditional media engagement, and written contributions to various consumer, trade, and peer-reviewed publications. In this episode of Food Safety Matters, we speak with Kris [1:20] about: The methodology and key metrics of IFIC’s 20th annual "Food and Health Survey,"...
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Ep. 204. Spink and Fenoff: How to Prevent Food Fraud in Your Supply Chain
Food Safety Matters
John Spink, Ph.D. is the Director and Lead Instructor for the Food Fraud Prevention Academy, as well as an Assistant Professor in the Department of Supply Chain Management (SCM) in the College of Business at Michigan State University (MSU). His food fraud prevention research focuses on policy and strategy to understand and prevent supply chain disruptions and to implement procurement best practices. He is widely published in leading academic journals and has helped lead national and global regulatory and standards activity. More recently, his teaching and research has expanded to supply...
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Ep. 203. Dr. David Dyjack: What Does the Future of the Food Safety Workforce Look Like?
Food Safety Matters
David T. Dyjack, Dr.P.H., CIH has served as Executive Director and CEO of the National Environmental Health Association (NEHA) since May 2015. Dr. Dyjack's 30-year career includes expertise in environmental health, emergency preparedness and response, public health informatics, infectious disease, workforce development, governmental infrastructure, maternal and child health, health equity, and chronic disease. A board-certified industrial hygienist, Dr. Dyjack also has advanced degrees in public health with a doctorate from the University of Michigan and a master's degree from the University...
info_outlineJim Fredericks, Ph.D. is a Board Certified Entomologist and Senior Vice President of Public Affairs at the National Pest Management Association (NPMA). He received his B.S. degree in Biology Education from Millersville University of Pennsylvania and his M.S. degree in Entomology from The University of Delaware. In 2012, Dr. Fredericks received his Ph.D. in Entomology and Wildlife Ecology from the Department of Entomology and Wildlife Ecology at the University of Delaware. Prior to his role with the NPMA, Jim spent more than 11 years working for a commercial pest control company as a Technical Director, where he was responsible product selection, treatment protocol development, service quality assurance, and technical training.
In this episode of Food Safety Matters, we speak with Dr. Fredericks [17:48] about:
- The fundamentals of rodent-proofing a facility—the “gold standard” in rodent control
- Important factors to consider when rodent-proofing a facility, such as behavioral differences between species
- Why rodent identification, including species and sex, is critical for pest control
- Benefits of establishing and maintaining a collaborative relationship between a pest management provider and a food facility
- Best practices for rodent control device placement in a food facility, based in “common sense driven by knowledge of pest biology and behavior”
- Challenges that may arise when addressing different kinds of pests in the same facility, as well as possible overlap in pest control approaches
- Real-time data collected by pest control tools and technologies, and how this data is used
- Ways in which food facilities can lean on their pest control providers—beyond the task of checking pest traps.
News and Resources
News
Judge Stephen Vaden Sworn in as USDA Deputy Secretary [2:22]
USDA-FSIS Announces Dr. Justin Ransom as New Administrator [2:57]
EFSA Board Nominates Dr. Nikolaus Kriz as Executive Director [3:29]
Conagra Brands to Remove FD&C Colors from U.S. Frozen Product Portfolio by End-2025 [4:18]
FDA Plans to Issue Guidance on Natural Food Colorants, Other Priority Topics in 2025 [6:38]
Secretary Rollins Unveils New USDA Food Safety Policy Plan at FSIS Midwestern Lab Grand Opening [8:57]
FDA Issues Final Guidance for Industry on its Use of Remote Regulatory Assessments [14:19]
Resources
National Pest Management Association
Upcoming Webinar: Strategies for Rodent Control in Distribution Facilities
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