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 fermentation-derived food ingredients, among others. He has been recognized by several legal industry awards and publications such as Chambers USA, Bloomberg Law, and The National Law Journal.

In this episode of Food Safety Matters, we speak with Brian [35:44] about:

• State-level food additive regulatory developments since the passage of the California Food Safety Act in October 2023
• How the "Make America Healthy Again" (MAHA) movement is shaping federal food additive and nutrition regulations
• Challenges and questions that arise from the growing number of state-level food regulations, including legality and constitutionality, implications for interstate commerce, and ensuring compliance
• Industry responses to FDA's push to phase out synthetic food dyes from the U.S. food supply
• California's recently passed legislation to establish a legal definition for ultra-processed foods (UPFs), and how it might affect a federally recognized UPF definition to be established in the future
• Practical recommendations for companies navigating the rapidly evolving U.S. regulatory landscape around food.

News and Resources

News

USDA Indefinitely Delays Enforcement of Salmonella as Adulterant in Raw Breaded, Stuffed Chicken [4:41]

Contamination in Infant Formula as Botulism Outbreak Grows; FDA Publishes Inspection Reports [18:38]

Unsolved German E. coli Outbreak Grows, Sickening Hundreds [28:52]

Codex Commission Adopts New International Food Standards at 48th Session [32:37]
Codex Committee Discussions Held at CAC48 Cover Key Fishery Initiatives

Resources

Ep. 162. Brian Sylvester: How the California Food Safety Act is Shaping U.S. Food Additives Regulation

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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 quality programs for major U.S. food manufacturers. His expertise spans U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) and U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) inspection standards, Hazards Analysis and Critical Control Points (HACCP), and third-party audit preparation. Through Aegis Foods, he now advises clients on building proactive, recall-resistant systems that prioritize both consumer health and brand integrity.

In this episode of Food Safety Matters, we speak with Jay [38:36] about:

• The history of Jay's career and how his experiences led to the creation of Fearless Eggs
• The science behind the pasteurization method used by Fearless Eggs and how it differs from traditional shell egg pasteurization, as well as Fearless Eggs' latest innovation, the in-shell poached egg
• How Fearless Eggs' pasteurization method inactivates Salmonella and other food safety hazards like avian influenza
• The process of working with FDA to get Fearless Eggs' pasteurization method approved
• The consumer trust built not only by Fearless Eggs' pasteurization, but also its prioritization of food safety
• Jay's perspective on the Trump Administration's resource and staffing cuts to FDA and the effect on consumer confidence in the safety of the U.S. food supply
• How Aegis and Fearless Eggs are helping move the entire industry toward safer egg products and food safety innovation
• Where to find Fearless Eggs products.

News and Resources

News

ByHeart Outbreak Grows: 31 Infants in 15 States Hospitalized for Botulism From Tainted Formula [4:29]
ByHeart Formula Now Linked to 23 Infant Botulism Cases in 13 States
Infants Nationwide Hospitalized With Botulism After Consuming ByHeart Formula

Regan-Udall Report Supports FDA Infant Formula Safety Efforts [16:16]

Analysis Shows FDA Foreign Facility Inspections Hit Historic Low After Trump Admin Cuts [23:02]

First-of-its-Kind Study Shows How Listeria Strains Evolve Into Strong Biofilm Formers [31:44]

FAO Report Highlights Needs for Responsible AI Adoption in Food Safety Fields [35:01]

Resources

Webinar: Dry Sanitation and Cleaning Techniques for Facilities and Equipment

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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:

1. The methodology and key metrics of IFIC's 20th annual "Food and Health Survey," which found that consumer confidence in the safety of the U.S. food supply has hit a 13-year low
2. Specific beliefs driving consumers' declining confidence in U.S. food safety, including the perception of food corporations prioritizing profits over safety, as well as the perceived inadequacy of federal regulatory oversight of the food supply
3. Key findings from IFIC's supplemental "Americans' Perceptions of Food Recalls" survey
4. Whether consumer concerns about rising recall rates reflect reality, based on FDA and USDA recall data
5. How high-profile recalls associated with severe or far-reaching foodborne illness outbreaks may influence consumer perceptions about the number of recalls
6. Another IFIC supplemental survey on Americans' perceptions of FDA's Generally Recognized as Safe (GRAS) program, and what the results say about consumer confidence in food safety, as well as their GRAS awareness
7. The potential influence of U.S. Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.'s (RFK Jr.'s) "Make America Healthy Again" (MAHA) movement on consumer perceptions of food ingredient safety in the U.S. food supply and the federal government's responsibility for oversight.

Resources

2025 IFIC Food & Health Survey: A Focus on Food & Nutrition

IFIC Spotlight Survey: Americans' Perceptions of Food Recalls

IFIC Spotlight Survey: Americans' Perceptions of the U.S. FDA GRAS Program

Survey: Confidence in U.S. Food Safety Hits Record Low, Foodborne Pathogens Are Top Concern

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 chain disruption management and procurement best practices.

Roy Fenoff, Ph.D. is an Associate Professor in the Department of Criminal Justice at The Military College of South Carolina (The Citadel). He is also a Forensic Handwriting and Document Examiner and an expert in forgery detection. Dr. Fenoff specializes in forgery and document fraud, food fraud and protection, and transnational crime.

In this episode of Food Safety Matters, we speak with Drs. Spink and Fenoff [33:30] about:

• Their recurring workshop and certificate course for the annual Food Safety Summit on food fraud prevention
• What makes food fraud an urgent and misunderstood issue
• The intersections between food safety and food fraud
• Different ways to check for, catch, and trace food fraud
• The elements of a comprehensive food fraud vulnerability assessment
• Focus areas for companies trying to develop a deep enough understanding of their supply chains and end products to prevent food fraud from occurring
• How to implement a food fraud prevention strategy and management system, which is taught during Drs. Spink and Fenoff's annual Food Safety Summit course, and how course participants respond to and have applied these teachings within their companies
• What Drs. Spink and Fenoff find both meaningful and challenging about their food fraud prevention and research work.

News and Resources

News

Color Manufacturers Sue West Virginia Over 'Unconstitutional' Food Dye Ban [7:08]

California Enacts Law Defining Ultra-Processed Foods, Will Ban UPFs in Schools [14:40]

Reagan-Udall Report Explores Strengthening Cross-Sector Responses to Food Safety Threats [23:09]

Novel Salmonella Vaccine Shows Promise in Clinical Trial [28:57]

Resources

"Ultraprocessed Nation" in the New York Times' October 20, 2025 "The Morning" newsletter

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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 of Utah.

In this episode of Food Safety Matters, we speak with Dr. Dyjack [36:33] about:

• Which demographics may make up the future food safety workforce, based on NEHA data, and what professional support they may need
• How the learning preferences of younger generations are shaping current education and training initiatives for the food safety sector
• Shifting priorities at the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and their potential influence on the future food safety workforce
• Industry's role in attracting and educating the future food safety workforce, and how NEHA works with industry to help realize these goals
• The work of NEHA's Food Safety Committee to help address food safety workforce training gaps and emerging challenges
• Who can benefit from NEHA's food safety courses and certificate programs
• The need for additional emergency preparedness training to mitigate food safety risks associated with increasing and more severe natural disasters brought on by climate change.

News and Resources

Government Shutdown Affects Food Safety: HHS Furloughs Employees, FDA Pauses CORE Investigation Table, Federal Layoffs to Hit HHS Amid Government Shutdown, May Affect Food Safety Staffers [3:08]

Another Death Reported in Listeria Outbreak Linked to Prepared Pasta Meals [8:09]

FDA Reveals Unsolved E. Coli Outbreak in New Foodborne Illness Outbreak Transparency Tools [16:19]

Fruit, Salmonella Caused Most Multistate Foodborne Illness Outbreaks in 2023, per CDC [19:16]

Four-Year UK Foodborne Pathogen Surveillance Program Concludes, FSA to Launch New Initiative [23:47]

USDA-FSIS Now Includes Gluten in Major Allergen Verification Activities [29:51]

Sponsored by:

Michigan State University Online Food Safety

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Kathy Knutson, Ph.D., PCQI, is educated in bacteriology, food science, and education. She speaks, writes, and trains on compliance for the Food and Drug Administration's (FDA's) Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA). She has trained over 500 Preventive Controls Qualified Individuals (PCQIs). Dr. Knutson works with managers to write thorough hazard analyses, food safety plans, recall plans, environmental monitoring programs, and allergen programs. In 2020, she published a book, Food Safety Lessons for Cannabis-Infused Edibles. Dr. Knutson travels to manufacturers for swabbing to locate a pathogen during recall investigations and for gap assessments of Good Manufacturing Practices (GMPs).

In this episode of Food Safety Matters, we speak with Dr. Knutson [30:14] about:

• Which variables are important to consider when designing an environmental monitoring program (EMP)
• The importance of controlling the quality and movement of air and water in a facility
• Actions for preventing foot traffic from bringing in and spreading pathogens
• How a strong sanitation program contributes to a robust EMP
• How to verify sanitation through sampling and record-keeping, which includes having written Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) and swabbing protocols informed by hygienic zoning
• The capabilities and responsibilities of a well-trained and educated EMP team.

News and Resources

News

What the Final MAHA Report Could Mean for Food Safety [3:36]
FDA to Issue Proposed Rule Tightening GRAS Oversight

Public Health Professionals, Groups Demand Resignation of HHS Secretary RFK Jr. [20:58]

Protein Processing Act Would Lift Pork, Poultry Line Speed Limits if Food Safety Criteria Are Met [24:19]

Resources

Challenges for Evaluation of Your Environmental Monitoring Program

Ep. 157. Dr. Kathy Knutson: Food Safety Considerations and Regulations for Cannabis-Infused Edibles

Sponsored by:

IFC

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In this episode of Food Safety Matters, we speak with Dr. Dutcher [38:31] about:

• The internal structure of the Food Products Inspectorate (FPI) within FDA's OII
• OII's role and responsibilities for inspecting human foods at FDA, including examples of frontline activities
• How the FPI is equipped to facilitate outbreak investigations and recalls
• Priority work plans assigned to FPI in 2025, and how this work will be accomplished
• In light of reduced funding for state inspectoral partners, how FPI can work with state public health agencies to ensure that priority inspections are carried out How OII is working to help restore confidence in the food supply among U.S. consumers
• New technologies and platforms being leveraged by OII to advance operations both internally and structurally, and how they are benefitting OII operations and functions.

News and Resources

News

Leaked Second MAHA Report Emphasizes Food Industry Deregulation, Reliance on Voluntary Industry Action [4:10]

CDC Slashes FoodNet Surveillance From Eight Foodborne Pathogens to Two [16:21]

Trump-Appointed CDC Director Dr. Susan Monarez Fired After Clashes With Secretary Kennedy [23:00]

Boar's Head to Reopen Facility Behind Fatal Listeria Outbreak While Other Plants Remain Insanitary
USDA Taking Over Boar's Head Inspections From State Officials at Plant Responsible for Outbreak [31:37]

FDA Adds Six Artificial Food Dyes to List of Chemicals Under Post-Market Review [35:27]

Resources

Partnership for Food Safety Education—National Food Safety Education Month

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Please send us your questions and suggestions to podcast@food-safety.com