🍽️ Francine and Matt are building a global, fun, and inclusive Food Safety Family! From the C-suite to the kitchen, they’re making safe food the norm everywhere.

👉 Follow Francine and Matt on LinkedIn for more food safety insights and updates.

In this eye-opening (and slightly stomach-turning) episode of Don’t Eat Poop!, our hosts Matt and Francine dive headfirst into a real-life case of botulism caused by fermented fish and why “gut health trends” can go dangerously wrong.

What started as a health-conscious bite of fermented “swordfish” turned into a near-death experience for a 24-year-old woman, highlighting critical gaps in foodborne illness prevention and consumer awareness.

From ancient food preservation methods to modern-day food safety compliance, this episode explores how traditional practices can clash with today’s expectations and why HACCP principles aren’t just for professionals anymore.

Spoiler: if it smells like death, maybe don’t eat it.

In this episode:

00:00:00 Botulism from Homemade Fermented Swordfish

00:04:05 Escalating Symptoms: Difficulty Swallowing, Paralysis

00:07:00 What Fermented “Swordfish” Actually Is

00:12:24 Cultural Food and Food Safety

00:19:15 Safe Alternatives for Gut Health

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

Resources from this episode

Food Safety Compliance in Home Kitchens: The Hidden Risks of Social Media Food Businesses | Episode 162

How to Clean Your Refrigerator Properly: This is Food Safety at Home | Episode 159

Noteworthy quotes from this episode

“If your choices are occasionally getting foodborne illness or starving to death, I will choose the former over the latter, but if I'm not starving, I'm not going to choose option number one.” – Matt Regusci

“There are people who, if they do live, they don't completely recover from botulism. You live with lifelong ramifications from this illness.” – 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!

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

We'd love to hear from you!

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

📕 Check out Francine's book Who Watches the Kitchen?

🎙️ BE A GUEST ON DON’T EAT POOP!

Fill out this form to tell us more about yourself. We’ll reach out via email within 30 days with next steps if you’re selected.

_______

Produced by Ideablossoms

🍽️ Francine and Matt are building a global, fun, and inclusive Food Safety Family! From the C-suite to the kitchen, they’re making safe food the norm everywhere.

👉 Follow Francine and Matt on LinkedIn for more food safety insights and updates.

If you’ve ever been tempted by homemade dumplings on Facebook Marketplace or the viral “pink sauce” on TikTok, this episode might make you pause mid-scroll.

In this eye-opening (and slightly terrifying) episode of Don’t Eat Poop!, our hosts Matt and Francine dig into the booming world of home-based food businesses and the massive food safety compliance gaps lurking behind those mouthwatering posts. From underground meal prep hustles to kids selling home-cooked food at school, this episode blends humor with hard truths about food safety regulations, HACCP principles, and the real risks of buying food from strangers online.

In this episode:

00:00:00 Buying Unregulated Food From Facebook Marketplace

00:06:58 Knowing Your Food Source Matters

00:08:58 Dutch Home Caterer Survey Shocker

00:13:10 Food Safety on Social Media

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

Resources from this episode

Take a look at the Food Safety News article we discussed in this episode: Home-based cooks lack awareness of food safety rules

Noteworthy quotes from this episode

“There are regulations, but if the entrepreneurs don't know that there are regulations and are just operating under the radar, then there aren't regulations.” – Matt Regusci

“So many people assume if you can buy it, it's safe.” – 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!

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

We'd love to hear from you!

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

📕 Check out Francine's book Who Watches the Kitchen?

🎙️ BE A GUEST ON DON’T EAT POOP!

Fill out this form to tell us more about yourself. We’ll reach out via email within 30 days with next steps if you’re selected.

_______

Produced by Ideablossoms

🍽️ Francine and Matt are building a global, fun, and inclusive Food Safety Family! From the C-suite to the kitchen, they’re making safe food the norm everywhere.

👉 Follow Francine and Matt on LinkedIn for more food safety insights and updates.

In this episode of Don’t Eat Poop!, our hosts Matt and Francine welcome industry veteran Rick Biros to talk about 15 years of Food Safety Tech and the Food Safety Consortium. We also get the chance to hear about Rick's new upcoming conference, Food Safety Hazards.

From cockroach-laced product horror stories (yes, really) to a deep dive into 15 years of industry evolution in food safety regulations, we unpack one of the most uncomfortable truths in food safety compliance: just because you’re “within compliance” doesn’t mean your food is safe. It’s clear that the industry still has a long way to go in truly protecting consumers.

In this episode:

00:00:00 15 Years of Food Safety Tech

00:10:46 FSMA Success Debate

00:15:35 Food Safety Culture Isn’t New

00:22:37 Benchmarking and Metrics

00:25:59 New Food Safety Hazards Conference

00:35:54 The Broken U.S. Food Safety System

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

Resources from this episode

Connect with Rick here.

Use the discount code poop for a 25% discount at the Food Safety Hazards Conference 2026 (April 20-22) and the Food Safety Consortium (October 23-26).

Take a look at the white paper we discussed in this episode: Integrating the Fragmented United States Federal Food Safety System into a Food Protection System

Read the article Rick mentioned at the end of this episode: Outbreak Investigation of E. coli O157:H7 in Raw Cheddar Cheese. Was it from RAW FARM or Not??

Listen to our previous conversations with Rick:

Behind the Scenes at the Food Safety Consortium with Rick Biros: Conference Culture, Compliance & Community | Episode 123

Noteworthy quotes from this episode

“Where this industry needs to go is to turn food safety and quality into a financial benefit to food and beverage companies.” – Rick Biros

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!

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

We'd love to hear from you!

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

📕 Check out Francine's book Who Watches the Kitchen?

🎙️ BE A GUEST ON DON’T EAT POOP!

Fill out this form to tell us more about yourself. We’ll reach out via email within 30 days with next steps if you’re selected.

_______

Produced by Ideablossoms