Don't Eat Poop! A Food Safety Podcast

🍽️ 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 dig into the rising trend of edible insects and lab-grown meat, and what it means for food safety compliance, foodborne illness prevention, and regulatory frameworks.From cricket protein powder to 3D-printed steak, this isn’t sci-fi anymore—it’s on your dinner plate. But are regulators ready? Are you ready? And most importantly, what happens when something goes wrong in a sterile lab environment?Let’s just say: this episode gets crunchy.In this episode:00:00:00 Insect Protein and Lab-Grown Meat00:08:57 Global Food Safety Regulation Challenges00:13:05 Facebook Marketplace Food Sales00:19:15 Consumer Trust Issues00:22:28 Future Food Trends and ConcernsDisclaimer: Episode title and content do not constitute legal or health advice.Resources from this episodeTake a look at the Food Safety News article we’re talking about today: https://www.foodsafetynews.com/2026/03/insects-and-cell-based-food-on-radar-of-food-regulators/ Noteworthy quotes from this episode“Say this does get to a point at which we figure out how to scale printing meat in a lab and it tastes just like meat, what food safety risks come from that in the future? I guess to be determined.” – Matt Regusci I can't imagine thinking I'm craving a cicada. I'm craving a chocolate-covered cockroach today.” – Francine L ShawWe 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 your fridge could talk, would it confess to crimes against food safety? In this hilariously relatable episode of Don’t Eat Poop!, our hosts Matt and Francine tackle a topic every food safety professional knows, but many still neglect at home: cleaning out the refrigerator. From expired blue cheese dressing with a personality of its own to mystery leftovers that defy identification, this episode dives into food safety compliance at home, proper storage habits, and the real risks of ignoring expiration dates.Spoiler: your condiments are probably guilty.In this episode:00:00:00 Deep Cleaning Your Refrigerator00:04:59 The Hidden Danger of Condiments00:14:43 Safe Thawing Practices00:23:46 FIFO: First In, First Out00:27:26 Fridge Sanitation SchedulesDisclaimer: Episode title and content do not constitute legal or health advice.Noteworthy quotes from this episode“ When you're cleaning out leftovers, and your question isn't, 'What is this?’ but ‘What was this?’ that’s not good.” – Matt Regusci“ Folks, it's time to clean out your refrigerator and get rid of those condiments from last summer. Get rid of them!” – Francine L ShawWe 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.Food safety regulations can sometimes feel like a bureaucratic maze, but behind the scenes, regulators, inspectors, and food businesses are all trying to accomplish the same thing: keeping people from getting sick.In this episode of Don’t Eat Poop!, our hosts Matt and Francine sit down with Steven Mandernach from AFDO (the Association of Food and Drug Officials) to unpack the complex world of food safety inspections, regulatory collaboration, and the future of food safety compliance.From government shutdowns affecting inspectors to the evolving relationship between state regulators, the FDA, and food businesses, the conversation dives deep into how the system really works and where it could work better.In this episode:00:00:00 The AFDO, FDA, and USDA00:06:27 Food Code Interpretation Gaps00:11:12 Food Facility Inspection Realities00:22:07 Industry and Regulator Partnerships00:34:32 Food Safety Workforce Challenges00:47:02 Compensation And Staffing00:51:38 The Role of Lawyers in Food SafetyDisclaimer: Episode title and content do not constitute legal or health advice.Resources from this episodeConnect with Steven here.Listen to our last conversation with Steven:Rethinking How Things Are Done to Solve Food Safety Problems with Steven Mandernach from AFDO | Episode 90Noteworthy quotes from this episode“I'm not sure it's a science major. I think we could find someone with critical thinking skills, good time management, and who communicates well, and I could turn them into a good food safety inspector.” – Steven MandernachWe 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 sit down with leadership powerhouse Tia Glave, co-founder of Catalyst Food Leaders, to discuss the one thing most food safety professionals overlook: culture and behavior change.If your HACCP plan is flawless but your team still rolls their eyes at food safety training, this episode is for you.Because here’s the hard truth: food safety compliance isn’t a paperwork problem. It’s a people problem.Recorded at the Food Safety Consortium, Tia explains why technical brilliance won’t move your organization forward unless you can explain the why in a way that actually resonates, from preventing foreign material contamination to navigating food safety audits for foodservice.In this episode:00:00:00 Why Culture Drives Food Safety00:05:17 Behavior Change Takes Time00:11:46 Connecting To Personal Values00:19:01 Budgets, Strategy, And Buy-In00:27:57 Traceability And Change ManagementDisclaimer: Episode title and content do not constitute legal or health advice.Resources from this episodeConnect with Tia here. Past episodes with Tia:Food Safety Talk with Tia Glave and Jill Stuber from Catalyst | Episode 36Food Safety Voices: Communicating Effectively in Challenging Times (LinkedIn Live) | Episode 106Noteworthy quotes from this episode“I don't need to be the voice of food safety culture as a food safety professional. Everyone knows I care about it. I need that maintenance tech to be talking about it. I need the finance team to be talking about it in a meeting. I need someone else who I didn't even know heard me to be talking about it in their circles. That's what we need. We need that commitment, and you get it through connecting to their values.” – Tia GlaveWe 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 are discussing Francine's favorite virus: Norovirus. It's no surprise this foodborne illness made an appearance at the 2026 Winter Olympics, and it's also no surprise that our hosts had a thing or two to say about this super spreader event.Tune in for some laughs, a shortage of condoms, all you need to know about the super bug that is Norovirus, and more.In this episode:0:00:00 Matt's life fostering medically fragile kids0:07:05 Olympics + free condoms = more Norovirus?0:14:53 The Poop Cruise: the cruiseship from hell0:18:26 The science behind the spread of Norovirus 0:26:37 Francine's Norovirus outbreak care packagesDisclaimer: Episode title and content do not constitute legal or health advice.Resources from this episodeWatch Trainwreck: Poop Cruise.Catch up with Episode 152, where we talk about the economics of foodborne illnesses.Read The Conversation article Matt and Francine refer to in this episode.Noteworthy quotes from this episode“ Norovirus is like a super bug, man. It has good survival skills. I gotta hand it to Norovirus. It is a maximum survivalist. So, making sure to thoroughly wash your hands with soap and water is essential.” – Matt Regusci“ 2,800 athletes were there the first week. Now, they've been handing out these free condoms since 1988, and I wonder if there's a correlation between the close contact and the Norovirus.” – Francine L ShawWe 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 are celebrating the podcast's 3 Year Anniversary with a blast from the past: the salmon in the dishwasher, the podcast's first inside joke.If you've been listening for a while, you probably know that cooking your salmon in the dishwasher is a BAD idea. Now, tune in to discover all the other things that people put in their dishwashers and what experts have to say about it.Thank you for listening, and here’s to another year of the Don’t Eat Poop! Podcast.In this episode:0:00:00 A party trick for your Super Bowl watch party0:07:18 Why cooking in a dishwasher is a BAD idea0:15:36 Part 1: Strangest things put in dishwashers0:19:07 Questionable ways to thaw poultry and more0:23:56 Part 2: Strangest things put in dishwashersDisclaimer: Episode title and content do not constitute legal or health advice.Resources from this episodeCatch up with our "fun" episode from a couple of weeks ago, Episode 153.Watch the Netflix series about the Australian lady who killed in-laws with Beef Wellington.Learn more about Norovirus at the start of the 2026 Winter Olympics on this LinkedIn post by Francine.Find the full Consumer Reports Matt and Francine are referring to here.Check out Francine’s book Who Watches the Kitchen? for more crazy stories people shared during training. Noteworthy quotes from this episode“ Appliances are designed to perform specific tasks quickly and efficiently, so take advice from the people who make the dishwashers and leave [the food] to the cooking ranges and ovens. Amen.” – Matt Regusci“ When I was training, I had people tell me that they thawed their poultry in the dryer. Can you imagine a turkey tumbling in your clothing dryer?” – Francine L ShawWe 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 are highlighting Azure Edwards's latest opinion piece on Food Safety News, "The food industry’s training problem is the system it keeps paying for".She raises crucial points that our hosts have also been talking about for a while, such as the importance of having a strong food safety culture, the real financial impact of weak training and systems, how audits and certifications are not enough, and more.In this episode:0:00:00 The food safety industry's training failures0:08:45 How food safety culture weakens under pressure0:14:14 What is missing from food safety training 0:18:05 The risks of transactional food safety0:20:19 What makes a company successful long-term0:27:03 The real importance of ethics and integrityDisclaimer: Episode title and content do not constitute legal or health advice.Resources from this episodeRead the Food Safety News opinion piece by Azure Edwards that Matt and Francine refer to in this episode.For a look into the real cost of food safety failures, catch up with Episode 152.Noteworthy quotes from this episode“ I love that she uses the temporary workers and the seasonal workers as a stress test for your food safety culture. If there's an issue with your facility during these peak times, it's not your seasonal and temporary workers that are the issue. It's your systems that are the issue.” – Matt Regusci“ I've always said the one thing that nobody can take from you is integrity. You do that yourself.” – Francine L ShawWe 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 are taking a detour from food poisoning to actual poison in food. Our hosts hadn't done any episodes about people getting intentionally killed with food in a long time, and Francine, our resident murder-mystery aficionado, made sure it got back in the lineup.Tune in for the Thanksgiving from hell case, where a mother poisoned her children's wine, and a throwback to the poison mushroom beef Wellington case.In this episode:0:00:00 Someone did kill their loved ones this time0:03:53 The poison mushroom beef Wellington murders0:07:49 How a mother killed her family on Thanksgiving0:15:09 Premeditation and getting away with murder0:21:21 Our fascination with how criminal minds workDisclaimer: Episode title and content do not constitute legal or health advice.Resources from this episodeLearn all about the Thanksgiving from Hell case here.Hear more about the Australian lady who tried to kill her in-laws with beef Wellington on Episode 38.In case you needed a reminder, catch up with Episode 95 | Don’t Kill Your Loved Ones During the Holidays and Episode 146 | Seriously, Don’t Kill Your Loved Ones During the Holidays.Noteworthy quotes from this episode“To put this chemical in wine and give it to your children and one of their children's boyfriends at a Thanksgiving dinner. That is a whole new level of evil to me.” – Matt Regusci“ She's a restaurateur. How much has she potentially gotten away with in 20 years? That is scary. If she's willing to do this to her own children, who else might she be willing to do this to, potentially?” – Francine L ShawWe 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 are talking about some very high, but also very preventable, costs: those resulting from foodborne illnesses.Our hosts are unpacking the Cost Estimates of Foodborne Illnesses data for 2023, released by the USDA in December 2025. You'll learn the real cost of diseases such as Salmonella, Norovirus, Listeria, Botulism, and more.In this episode:0:03:38 Norovirus: largest number of cases0:08:54 Salmonella: greatest overall cost0:11:19 E.coli, Botulism, Vibrio: surprising numbers0:13:07 Listeria: fewer cases, deadly costs0:23:10 How to get buy-in for food safety initiativesDisclaimer: Episode title and content do not constitute legal or health advice.Resources from this episodeRead the Marler Blog article Matt and Francine refer to in this episode.Check out Francine's QSR Magazine 2018 article on the cost of foodborne illness.Catch up with Episode 144 | Apparently, a Little Salmonella in Poultry is Okay. But Should It Really Be?Also listen to Episode 122 | Listeria’s Lasting Damage: A Food Safety Wake-Up CallNoteworthy quotes from this episode“ You have an easier chance of getting a one on a roll of a dice than surviving Listeriosis. It is like one in three, one in four, depending upon the outbreak. So you have a 25% to 33% chance of death when you get Listeriosis. Not good.” – Matt Regusci“ Those are the things that people don't think about. They see these numbers. These are numbers on our screens at this point. People see numbers, and they hear statistics [but] these are human lives.” – Francine L ShawWe 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 are back from their quick holiday break and are ready to tackle the brand-new 2026 food pyramid.With their special brand of humor, they walk through each of the four iterations of the visual American dietary guidelines over the years and what they mean for Americans.In this episode:0:00:00 Holiday break update and misplaced keys0:11:07 The 1992-2005 food pyramid and its impacts0:17:21 The confusing 2005-2011 MyPyramid0:19:37 The 2011-2026 MyPlate (not actually a pyramid)0:23:28 The 2026 upside-down food pyramid0:34:32 Will this change how people eat?Disclaimer: Episode title and content do not constitute legal or health advice.Resources from this episodeCatch up with Episode 146 | Seriously, Don’t Kill Your Loved Ones During the Holidays, where Matt talked about his dread over traveling with his entire family over the holidays.Check out Frank Yiannas' LinkedIn post with the evolution of the food pyramid over time.Noteworthy quotes from this episode“ I do not disagree with this new pyramid. It's basically my diet. What I do disagree with is [that] it doesn't make it easy for someone to look at this and go, 'Oh, this is how I am supposed to eat.' There's nothing really easy about it.” – Matt Regusci“'0 5 to '11 looks like they just took the colors of the rainbow, tossed them together in a mountainous type setting, and threw a bunch of food at the bottom of it.” – Francine L ShawWe 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 are joined by produce safety veteran Humberto Maldonado, the Director of Safety and Compliance at Organically Grown Company, straight from the Food Safety Consortium 2025.Humberto shares lessons from his 20+ years in produce safety. Starting out with the 2003 Hepatitis A green onion outbreak at the beginning of his food safety career, to his time at Driscoll's Mexico navigating auditors and growers, and his newer role.Get ready for an episode packed with food safety wisdom and practical ways to build a culture of food safety from the field all the way to the C-suite.In this episode:0:00:00 Audits and certifications at Driscoll's Mexico0:10:29 The 2003 Hepatitis A outbreak in green onions0:16:17 Beyond audits to a good culture of food safety0:25:48 Humberto's work at Organically Grown Company0:29:57 Food safety culture from field to C-suiteDisclaimer: Episode title and content do not constitute legal or health advice.Resources from this episodeRead about the 2003 Hepatitis A Outbreak Associated with Green Onions here.Learn more about the Organically Grown Company.Noteworthy quotes from this episode“One of the pushbacks I always received was, 'This is too complex for the growers to understand. This is too complex for the harvest crew people to understand.' That's not true. We are the ones making things complex. You can explain complex things in a simple way, so keep it simple.” – Humberto MaldonadoWe 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 Humberto, 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 are talking about some even more frustrating news on the FDA's traceability rule, FSMA 204.Back in April of 2025, the implementation of the rule was pushed off yet again, giving the food industry 2.5 years to become fully compliant.Everything changed after the longest government shutdown in US history, though, because the new funding bill blocks FMSA 204. That's, unfortunately, expected, since some of the senators who ended the stalemate received funds from food industry lobbyists.Tune in for a breakdown of the current situation with US food traceability.In this episode:0:00:00 Food traceability policies are being gutted0:11:17 Who's behind the death of FSMA 204 and why0:17:54 Why food traceability is extremely complicated0:23:38 Politicians, integrity, and helping people0:30:27 What will happen with FSMA 204Disclaimer: Episode title and content do not constitute legal or health advice.Resources from this episodeRead the Marler Blog article Matt and Francine refer to in this episode.Listen to Episode 148, where we talk about the huge increase in hospitalizations and deaths from foodborne illness.Catch up with Episode 109 from April 2025, where we questioned whether or not FSMA 204 would ever actually be implemented.Noteworthy quotes from this episode“ I think [FSMA 204 is] dead. I think there's going to be some companies that are going to do it, but without the government's push to do this, it will not happen across the board, which means it won't happen.” – Matt Regusci“ So, let me tell you what I love about this. The National Restaurant Association, they make all their money promoting and advocating for food safety. That's how they earned all that money that they donated to lobby against it.” – Francine L ShawWe 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 are looking back before they look forward in this new year. They are unpacking an article from February 2025 that shares some worrisome stats about foodborne illness, outbreaks, hospitalizations, and deaths from contaminated food in 2024, all of which increased significantly from the previous year.In this episode:0:00:00 When distances are relative0:07:07 A recap of food recalls in 20240:13:43 Key findings on foodborne illnesses0:18:06 If you don't test for it, it's not thereTune back in next week for the episode where our hosts talk about the article on how the government is looking to shut down some key food safety acts and rules.Disclaimer: Episode title and content do not constitute legal or health advice.Resources from this episodeRead the Food for Thought 2025 article Matt and Francine refer to in this episode.Correction: chickens fly at 175 birds per minute, not 175 miles per hour, in US poultry processing plants. You can learn more about these worrisome speeds on Episode 110.As for the acceptable levels of Salmonella in poultry, you can check out Episode 144.For a Recap of 2024’s Major Outbreaks with Bill Marler, listen to Episode 92, and for one of the major outbreaks from the first half of 2025, catch up with Episode 129.Hear more about what it's like to get listeria and survive it in the gut-wrenching Episode 122.Learn the basics of the ByHeart Infant Botulism Outbreak linked to their baby formula, check out Episode 147.Noteworthy quotes from this episode“ If we're looking at why 13 [outbreaks] accounted for 98% of the hospitalizations and deaths. It's because 22% of the recalls came from Listeria. That is crazy.” – Matt Regusci“ It's mind-boggling that they are shutting down food safety programs one after another, agencies, and just different things throughout the course of the year, and foodborne illnesses are increasing.” – Francine L ShawWe 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 are unpacking what's shaping up to be one of the worst outbreaks of 2025: the ByHeart Infant Botulism Outbreak linked to their baby formula, previously Clean Label Project (CLP) certified.There have been other cases over the years, and, unfortunately, this just happens to be the most recent one. We need to find a way to curb this. That's why our hosts are sharing not only the details of this international outbreak, but also possible solutions and straightforward practices that food producers can implement to effectively prevent outbreaks.In this episode:0:01:07 What CLP does and doesn't test for and why0:10:48 How Matt helped companies through outbreaks0:15:27 How the industry can truly prevent outbreaks0:23:23 How to ensure your product is pathogen-free0:26:42 Why baby formula standards must be stricter0:39:30 One of the worst outbreaks of 2025Disclaimer: Episode title and content do not constitute legal or health advice.Resources from this episodeLearn all about Clean Label Project in our interview with Jaclyn Bowen, the previous Executive Director, in Episode 101.Stay up-to-date on this outbreak here.Read Bill Marler's article on Operation Stork Speed.Noteworthy quotes from this episode“ The only 100% way that you are not going to get somebody pregnant or an STD is: don't have sex. For the advice for the industry, the only way to be 100% sure that you are not going to have pathogens in your product is to test them all. ” – Matt Regusci“ This isn't the only case. [...] This just happens to be the most current. Now we're giving [babies] poisoned food, and it's the only food they're receiving. It's detrimental, and we need to find a way to curb this.” – Francine L ShawWe 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!, food safety experts Matt and Francine are once again trying to convince you not to kill your loved ones over the holidays. Since last year's episode may not have been enough, they're back this year with ways to protect your family from foodborne illness this holiday season.Tune in to a chaotic episode that's full of life and gratitude, our hosts' unique sense of humor in full force, a boatload of pre-travel anxiety, and some crazy food safety stories.Disclaimer: If you're a social worker working with CPS or foster care and you end up listening to this, please do not take what Matt's saying at face value. He is indeed joking and/or being sarcastic.In this episode:0:00:00 Holiday plans and flying with a family of 150:11:14 A rough year and a shout-out from Francine0:13:05 Thermometers, wipes, and sleeping aids0:17:02 Holiday food safety fails and how to avoid themDisclaimer: Episode title and content do not constitute legal or health advice.Resources from this episodeTo learn more about the woman who tried to kill her ex’s family with Beef Wellington, catch up with Episode 38 | Don’t Cook Salmon in the Dishwasher!Want to read the story about the turkey that flew during Thanksgiving and other captivating, crazy food safety stories? Make sure to check out Francine's book Who Watches the Kitchen?Read our complete guide on How to Not Kill Your Family Over the Holidays.Noteworthy quotes from this episode“ I bet that stuffing was absolutely amazing, sitting there permeating in all the juices overnight. [...] So, you taste all the other flavors, but not salmonella. You taste all the other flavors coming back up again after you get salmonella.” – Matt Regusci“ I got the flu a lot at Thanksgiving when I was a kid. [...] When I say the flu, we all know the flu now isn't vomiting and diarrhea.” – Francine L ShawWe 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!, food safety experts Matt and Francine are talking about a bill introduced to the Senate earlier this year, the “Direct Interstate Retail Exemption for Certain Transactions Act of 2025.” This DIRECT Act would allow direct-to-consumer online sales of state-inspected meat and poultry across state lines.Tune in as our hosts unpack the proposed legislative changes, the potential benefits, and what it would mean for the USDA, as well as the possible food safety risks, traceability issues, and other challenges.In this episode:0:06:17 Breaking down the DIRECT Act0:14:33 Will traceability get better?0:17:37 USDA vs. State inspections and exemptions0:23:33 Will enforcement be stronger?27:05 The big issue with the current consolidation30:5 Where our meat imports come fromDisclaimer: Episode title and content do not constitute legal or health advice.Resources from this episodeRead the Food Safety News article Matt and Francine refer to in this episode.Hear the new and exciting things over at Food Safety News on Episode 143.Catch up with the Pre-Made Pasta Meals Listeria outbreak with Episode 141.Learn all about how fast the chickens fly at a poultry plant with Episode 110, as well as how upset the poultry industry is over a salmonella-filled report with Episode 144.Noteworthy quotes from this episode“This is a chink against not just the USDA's armor of the monopoly, but it's also a chink against the top meat producers in their monopoly armor. They don't want small meat companies competing against them. Not at all.” – Matt Regusci“ I'm all about helping the smaller farmers, the smaller businesses. I am all about doing whatever we can do to support them. I live in an area that that is what we are. But we need to make sure that we do it safely.” – Francine L ShawWe 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 are, unfortunately, talking once more about poultry and salmonella.They are unpacking the concerning Farm Forward Salmonella and Foodborne Disease Report released in October 2025. The results showed elevated levels of salmonella contamination in grocery store poultry samples.Tune in to discover why poultry-related salmonella infections persist in the US, including how USDA standards fall short, the industry pushback, and what can be done to reverse this situation.In this episode:0:00:00 The report that found salmonella in poultry0:09:47 The unmet USDA salmonella contamination limits0:11:58 How poultry should follow other industries' standards0:17:56 Lessons from the US beef industry and the EU0:22:09 The safe temperature to cook poultryDisclaimer: Episode title and content do not constitute legal or health advice.Resources from this episodeRead the LA Times article Matt and Francine refer to in this episode and the original Farm Forward Report.Francine's LinkedIn Post with a picture of turkey packaging that showed improper handling procedures. Just in case you need a refresher on how to safely handle poultry, catch up with Episode 73 | Don’t Wash Your Chicken, Seriously.Watch Bill Marler and Dr. Darin Detwiler’s Emmy award-winning documentary, Poisoned: The Dirty Truth About Your Food.Noteworthy quotes from this episode“ While I'm not for ending commercial chicken farming, I am for ending salmonella in one-third or over 400,000 of the cases annually in consumers. You can be for commercial farming and also against poisoning people.” – Matt Regusci“ For the industry to take this attitude is just, I believe, irresponsible on their part. It shows, in my opinion, just a total lack of disregard for consumers because they've got the ability to correct it. They're choosing not to [deal with salmonella].” – Francine L ShawWe 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 are joined by two special guests: Bill Marler, who you already know as the nation's leading foodborne illness attorney, and his wonderful son-in-law, Peter Gustafson.But this isn't a family reunion; they are here to share some very exciting news about Food Safety News (FSN), the online newspaper that has been keeping everyone who cares about the safety of our food supply informed about critical food safety concerns for the past 16 years.For all those years, Bill alone funded the publication, but that is not sustainable. Thankfully, Peter recently joined the team as a Fractional Executive Director of FSN, and they're figuring out how to change that.Tune in to discover the future of FSN and the changes that will allow it to not only outlast Bill, but to take the food safety journalism we know and love to the next level.In this episode:0:05:58 The history and evolution of FSN0:11:47 The importance of making FSN self-sustaining0:19:48 The 1st solution: Google Ads and nonprofit status0:22:50 The age of AI and the need for a new solution0:26:27 What the new FSN+ membership will look like0:31:43 Becoming sustainable to go above and beyondResources from this episodeBe one of the first to become an FSN+ member and lock in the founding member pricing at foodsafetynews.com/membership. Read some deep Bill Marler angst in the Marler Blog.Read Francine's opinion pieces in Food Safety News through the years.Check out the Food Safety News Merch Store.Catch up with past Bill Marler Don't Eat Poop! episodes:Episode 17Episode 18Bonus EpisodeEpisode 92Episode 100Episode 129Noteworthy quotes from this episode“ It's not a desire to cut back. It's a desire to build. It's a desire to make something sustainable, better, and more useful for the food safety public.” – Bill Marler“I think this year we're averaging just over 400,000 page views per month, whereas last year we averaged 1.6 million pages per month [...] So as you can imagine, that [FSN's ad] revenue came down quite a bit.” – Peter GustafsonWe 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 Bill, Peter, 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 are joined by Melody Ge, the Founder of Women in Food Safety and Chief Technical Officer at EAGLE Certification Group, straight from the Food Safety Consortium 2025.They've been wanting to have Melody on the show for years, and it's finally worked out. There's a cumulative 70 years of experience among them in this episode, and you'll hear the stories that come along with it.Learn more about the 5-year-old Women in Food Safety community, which has recently become a full-fledged nonprofit. Get the lay of the land in the food safety auditing world, learn what's missing, and discover how Melody, who has been both an auditor and an auditee, and her team at EAGLE are working to change that reality.In this episode:0:00:00 Melody’s 20-year career path0:04:04 Growing Women in Food Safety0:07:40 The biggest challenge for food safety pros0:12:43 Food safety audit industry issues0:15:53 Solutions for auditing, and the industry's future0:31:45 How to help pipeline future good auditors0:40:52 Melody's Food Safety Consortium reflectionsDisclaimer: Episode title and content do not constitute legal or health advice.Resources from this episodeLearn more about and join the Women in Food Safety through their LinkedIn or website.Noteworthy quotes from this episode“ Regardless, it's either the auditee or the auditor. We all want food safety. This is a common goal, and I never doubted that before. It's the approach and the position we're in [that are] very different. So, how can we help each other and make the most value out of it?” – Melody GeWe 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 Melody, 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 are, unfortunately, talking about a deadly multi-state Listeria outbreak… again. This time, the culprit is surprisingly hiding in pasta.Tune in as they break down the recent outbreak, which has a 26% death rate, and has led to recalls of pre-made pasta meals across stores, including Walmart, Kroger, and Trader Joe's.Discover the only way to fix Listeria, what foodborne illnesses truly mean for their victims, and how outrageously our government and institutions have been handling these realities.In this episode:0:00:00 A deadly and unexpected Listeria outbreak in pasta0:15:18 Victims aren't getting the information they need0:18:41 The only solution for Listeira, food safety's #1 enemy0:21:17 The harsh realities and ugly effects of foodborne illnesses0:25:10 The stories of the victims that hit our hosts the hardest0:30:15 The government's mantra: "We ignore it, so it goes away"Disclaimer: Episode title and content do not constitute legal or health advice.Resources from this episodeCheck out the Food Safety News article our hosts are referring to, "More deaths reported in Listeria outbreak linked to pre-made pasta meals."Watch Dr. Darin Detwiler and Bill Marler’s Emmy award-winning documentary, Poisoned: The Dirty Truth About Your Food.Catch up with Episode 122, where we learn the story of a man who survived Listeriosis but lost everything else.Noteworthy quotes from this episode“ Listeria is a big deal, and the only way to fix Listeria is having a food safety culture that allows you to test for this and really find and destroy this bug. This is the enemy, and every single facility in the world needs to view Listeria as the number one enemy.” – Matt Regusci“ We're never gonna stop all of the foodborne illnesses. That's impossible. But they can certainly be minimized, and that's what's so frustrating, is none of them have to happen, but they're all preventable. Nobody should ever die from eating food.” – Francine L ShawWe 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.It's that time of year again! In this episode of Don’t Eat Poop!, our hosts, Matt and Francine, have just returned from the Food Safety Consortium (FSC) 2025 and are sharing all about their experience among the best people in the food safety industry.In this recap, you'll hear about why the FSC is the best food safety conference for networking, how the Consortium has shaped Matt and Francine's careers and podcast through the years, why they recorded fewer interviews this time around, and more.Celebrate the podcast's recent #1 spot in its category on iHeartRadio, and regenerate your faith in the industry after this episode.In this episode:0:00:00 The best food safety conference for networking0:04:25 What to expect from this year's interviews0:10:43 Our sense of humor and negative reviews0:14:53 What makes the FSC powerful and unique0:20:57 Learning from food safety powerhousesDisclaimer: Episode title and content do not constitute legal or health advice.Resources from this episodeStay up to date on all things Food Safety Consortium for next year’s edition here. Use the code POOP for a discount when you register.Catch up with the two FSC 2025 interviews that are already live:Episode 138 with long-time Environmental Health Food Inspector, Monica PancareEpisode 139 with Food Safety Icon Dr. Darin Detwiler and His Wife Gennette ZimmerLearn more about Rick Biros, the mastermind behind the FSC, on Episode 123.Connect with food safety powerhouse, Charray Williams, and catch up with our interview with her son, Tyler Williams, CEO of ASI Food Safety, in Episode 48.Noteworthy quotes from this episode“[Food Safety Consortium] has to be the best conference in terms of networking [...] because so much stuff in our career has literally happened for the networking at the Food Safety Consortium.” – Matt Regusci“ It's there [in the Food Safety Consortium]. It's done in the open, and it just looks like a few people sitting there having a normal conversation, and that's what it is. And we're actually recording podcast episodes, which is really fun. I enjoy it.” – Francine L ShawWe 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, are joined by some old friends: food safety icon and advocate Dr. Darin Detwiler and his data analyst wife and co-host of the Confessions of a Food Safety A**Hole Podcast, Gennette Zimmer.Straight from the Food Safety Consortium 2025, you'll hear all about Dr. Darin and Gennette's new binge-worthy podcast in this laugh-out-loud crossover episode.Between stories of speaking up for food safety, submarine service, band camp, podcast creation, and lots of laughter, this episode explores how being a food safety a**hole might actually be a badge of honor.Get ready to see a new side of Dr. Darin that doesn't show up in a magazine or on stage, and to officially meet his partner in business and in life, the witty storyteller, Gennette.In this episode:💩 [01:34] A food safety a**hole, his conflict-averse wife, and their podcast💩 [06:05] Poisoned, the Emmy award-winning documentary💩 [07:40] How Confessions is genuine, fun, and very binge-worthy💩 [10:14] Being food safety a**holes and the stories that don't make it on stage💩 [16:50] Times when speaking up for food safety went right or wrong💩 [20:03] When Gennette found out what she was getting herself into💩 [25:58] How they make it work together both personally and professionally💩 [31:25] Dr. Darin's life on a nuclear submarine versus his life now💩 [38:18] Twice irradiated submarine food and a radioactive prank💩 [40:17] What we can expect from Confessions as it evolves💩 [43:23] Two similar yet so very different food safety podcasts💩 [44:59] How our podcasts started and how they're going💩 [49:05] Dr. Darin and Gennette's favorite thing about the FSC 2025💩 [51:21] What could make the Food Safety Consortium even betterDisclaimer: Episode title and content do not constitute legal or health advice.Resources from this episodeListen to the Confessions of a Food Safety A**Hole at foodsafetyahole.comCatch up with previous Don't Eat Poop! episodes with Dr. Darin Detwiler, starting with Episode 106, where you’ll find the links to the other ones as well.Watch Dr. Darin Detwiler and Bill Marler’s Emmy award-winning documentary, Poisoned: The Dirty Truth About Your Food.Hear more about Dr. Darin's life on a nuclear submarine on Episode 5 of Confessions of a Food Safety A**Hole.Learn more about irradiated food on Episode 133 | Food Irradiation May Be On Its Way to Being Widely Adopted in the US.Noteworthy quotes from this episode“While there's this flip of a coin 50/50, whether I go into saying something, whether they're gonna treat me as an a**hole or thank me, I also know that if I don't say anything, then I'm 100% the a**hole.” – Dr. Darin Detwiler“ You generally are treated like an a**hole if they don't care. If they don't know, they're usually very appreciative of it, or it didn't cross their mind [...], that kind of thing. But if they go on the defensive, it's usually that they don't care.” – Gennette ZimmerWe 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 Dr. Darin, Gennette, 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 are joined by Monica Pancare, CP-FS. a veteran environmental health food inspector, straight from the Food Safety Consortium 2025.She brings a unique perspective, having been around food safety from its inception and having been involved on both sides of the industry, first in operations and now as an inspector.Joined by Francine, they commiserate about how things were in the late 1970s and 1980s, what has changed, and the trials and tribulations of being the one who watches the kitchen.In this episode:💩 [01:15] Meet Monica Pancare, a veteran of the food safety industry💩 [02:31] Gloves, questionable 1970s practices, and the origin of ServSafe💩 [05:27] What we didn't know in the 1980s and Marriott Hotels' food safety💩 [08:51] Monica's pivot to an environmental health food inspector role💩 [10:14] The benefits for an inspector of starting out in operations💩 [12:39] Defining which establishments are high risk or low risk💩 [15:46] The craziest violation Monica's ever seen💩 [18:09] Francine and Monica's experiences with pests, upsets, and threats💩 [21:24] What happens when Monica finds big problems in an establishment💩 [24:42] If the bathrooms are clean, is the rest of the establishment clean?💩 [25:54] The difference between a training issue and a procedural one💩 [28:59] What to look for in a restaurant as a consumer💩 [31:23] Why Monica chose to attend the Food Safety ConsortiumDisclaimer: Episode title and content do not constitute legal or health advice.Resources from this episodeFor a whole retelling of Francine's craziest stories from her time as a health inspector, check out Francine's book Who Watches the Kitchen?Noteworthy quotes from this episode“ Knowledge is power. Knowledge is key. I believe that you always need to keep your finger on the pulse and really have a good, strong knowledge of what's out there in the industry as it changes.” – Monica PancareWe 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 are joined by Ryan Dunn, the Vice President of Sales at DeVere Chemical, our official sponsor.They talk about how sanitizing is key when it comes to ensuring food safety, but having the best sanitizers in the market or the best training around will never be enough if there isn't a strong culture of safety in place.Because they know that cultural change starts at the top, they share practical advice that food safety leaders can start implementing right away to turn the existing culture around, making safety the number one priority from upper management to the plant floor.In this episode:💩 [01:42] Get to know Ryan Dunn and his serendipitous journey to DeVere💩 [05:52] How each training is 100% unique to the client at DeVere💩 [08:24] Real results: from multiple violations to a culture of safety💩 [12:38] How to convince leadership to invest in food safety💩 [16:09] When a whole shift quit instead of taking the training💩 [17:07] Resistance to change starts at the top💩 [20:10] A simple mindset shift that can change the way we lead💩 [23:35] 4 leadership lessons to build a strong food safety culture💩 [31:00] A tool to find out what your crew needs and wants 💩 [32:07] The power of managing each individual as their own person💩 [33:50] Make sure to meet Ryan at the next industry conferenceDisclaimer: Episode title and content do not constitute legal or health advice.Resources from this episodeLearn more about how DeVere Chemical can take your operation's food safety to the next level at deverechemical.com.Noteworthy quotes from this episode" We've taken the personality out of management. I think people just feel disconnected. I hear it all the time. They're disconnected from their relationships with their leaders, and their leaders are disconnected with their crew." – Ryan DunnWe 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 Ryan, Francine, Matt, and the "Don't Eat Poop!" show on LinkedIn!📕 Check out Francine's book Who Watches the Kitchen? on Amazon! 🎙️ 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!, food safety veterans Matt and Francine are joined by Alex O'Brien, the Dairy Safety & Quality Coordinator at the Center for Dairy Research, also known as the Wisconsin cheese food safety guy.Milk safety has been a recurring topic on the podcast, especially given the growing demand for raw milk, but this is the first time the focus has been on cheese itself.So, tune in to discover how to make cheese safe. You'll learn how the cheese-making process affects its safety, important lessons about environmental monitoring, and how to make raw milk and cheese a little safer.In this episode:💩 [01:27] Alex O'Brien's many hats as the Wisconsin cheese food safety guy💩 [04:46] The factors that make cheese safe, even unrefrigerated💩 [10:06] How to get high-quality milk even through a crappy milking process💩 [13:27] What's behind cheese outbreaks post-pasteurization💩 [16:52] It doesn't take much unpasteurized cheese to make you sick💩 [18:53] How to ensure cheese plants are safe and some cautionary tales💩 [25:40] The four different types of food safety people💩 [28:45] The difference between cleaning and sanitizing💩 [30:14] When food safety people have a foodborne illness💩 [32:58] Thermal pasteurization versus UV pasteurization and raw milk💩 [37:59] How to make raw milk and cheese a little safer and save livesDisclaimer: Episode title and content do not constitute legal or health advice.Resources from this episodeCatch up with the episode where we talked to Bob Comstock about his UV-based pasteurization process, Episode 131 | How a Little Sunlight in Your Milk is Going to Profoundly Change the Dairy Industry.Noteworthy quotes from this episode“ If you're finding [Listeria] in your environment more than 10% of the time, you have a problem, right? So, I like to emphasize that you want to find it, but if it's so prevalent and you keep finding it in the same spot and you can't figure it out, then it's a problem.” – Alex O'BrienWe 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 Alex, Francine, Matt, and the "Don't Eat Poop!" show on LinkedIn!📕 Check out Francine's book Who Watches the Kitchen? on Amazon! 🎙️ 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 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!This is a replay of Episode 89. In this episode:💩 [02:46] An exciting start to the Food Safety Consortium 2024💩 [05:33] The best networking event in food safety 💩 [08:42] The difference being in Washington D.C. made💩 [10:25] The interviews they did and that are coming your way💩 [12:24] The Women in Food Safety networking event💩 [14:48] The sense of community around industry colleagues💩 [16:49] The missed opportunities of our legal system💩 [17:58] What you can expect in the upcoming episodes💩 [18:50] A taste of fame💩 [19:57] Matt’s and Francine’s biggest takeaways from the Consortium💩 [22:46] Food safety concerns aren’t the same all over the world💩 [25:00] Concerns about the FDA’s Reorganization Plan💩 [26:14] The right reason for wearing black glovesDisclaimer: Episode title and content do not constitute legal or health advice.Resources from this episodeRegister for the Food Safety Consortium 2025, from October 19-21, here. Use the discount code POOP for $200 OFF. See you there!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 ShawWe 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? on Amazon! 🎙️ 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 are joined by David Hatch from Neogen, one of the world's largest suppliers of food safety testing platforms.Get ready to learn all about food safety testing, such as what type of technology is available when it comes to testing (get results within seconds), and how the tests work in practice to keep food safe.Unfortunately, you’ll also learn about the sad truth about most of the food safety industry being almost 2 decades behind when it comes to actually being able to do anything with the important data that it collects.Tune in to hear the reasons why and how David and Neogen are working to change the tide.This is a replay of Episode 64.In this episode:💩 [03:46] Meet David and Neogen 💩 [06:49] The type of testing that most companies use and how it works💩 [09:38] The importance of testing in food safety💩 [12:38] The problem of managing testing information on spreadsheets and paper💩 [16:33] David’s mission at Neogen to bring food safety to the present💩 [18:28] Using spreadsheets doesn’t actually mean the process is digitized 💩 [19:51] What it takes for food safety to become preventative instead of reactive 💩 [21:08] What’s great about the Food Safety Consortium💩 [28:03] The other side of Neogen: making food safe upstreamDisclaimer: Episode title and content do not constitute legal or health advice.Resources from this episodeRegister for the Food Safety Consortium 2025, from October 19-21, here. Use the discount code POOP for $200 OFF. See you there!Neogen website neogen.com. Noteworthy quotes from this episode“The problem is that the corporate management at food companies hasn't found a way to justify the digital transformation that needs to take place. And it's not that they don't want to, it's that the food industry operates at the lowest margins of any industry in the world. On average, it's only a 2.8% margin, which is the lowest in all industries in the world.” – David HatchWe 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 David, Francine, Matt, and the "Don't Eat Poop!" show on LinkedIn!📕 Check out Francine's book Who Watches the Kitchen? on Amazon! 🎙️ 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 are talking about how the majority of people are finally seeing that food irradiation may be a good solution for keeping food safe.Between personal anecdotes, lessons from their journeys in food safety, and a new Food Safety News article, our hosts remember how this technology was first received decades ago, celebrate the big change in consumer opinion, and point out the biggest hurdles to its full adoption in the US.In this episode:💩 [01:03] When conversations about food irradiation first came around💩 [02:10] Matt and Francine's childhood go-to foods💩 [08:16] People's strong initial reactions to the idea of irradiated food💩 [10:17] People don't like change, and they're still not seeing the "ir-"💩 [12:07] The hardest thing in food safety and how Matt got into the industry💩 [16:37] The review that revealed a growing acceptance of food irradiation💩 [20:14] Will companies start adopting food irradiation?💩 [22:07] How the FDA is getting in the way of change💩 [25:38] What needs to change for food irradiation to be widely used💩 [28:28] The great Listeria problem and the technology of the future💩 [30:30] The FDA needs more change management peopleDisclaimer: Episode title and content do not constitute legal or health advice.Resources from this episodeCatch up with our last episode, where Matt shares his story, Episode 132.Learn about Hypochlorous acid (HOCl) in this LinkedIn post by Francine.Check out the Food Safety News article our hosts are talking about, Review reveals growing support for food irradiation.Listen to the episode with Bob Comstock about his UV-based technology for making milk safe, Episode 131.Learn more about FSMA 204, which has been punted yet again, in Episode 109.Noteworthy quotes from this episode“ Change management [is] the hardest thing in food safety. It was 20 years ago. It's still the same today. Change management is the hardest thing because getting people to change their habits is exactly what we do in food safety, and it is the hardest thing to do over and over and over and over again.” – Matt Regusci“ I think [food irradiation is] a good thing. I also think that hypochlorous acid is a good thing, but nobody wants to change the way they do things. Everybody's like, it's the same old, same old that we've been doing for years. People don't like change.” – Francine L ShawWe 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? on Amazon! 🎙️ 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.Get ready for an intensely personal, raw, and possibly uncomfortable episode of Don’t Eat Poop! Warning: In case alcoholism is a sensitive topic for you, proceed with caution.In the face of a recent Celsius Astro Vibe energy drink recall due to a mix-up at the factory, which resulted in High Noon vodka seltzer alcohol inside Celsius cans, our hosts Matt and Francine are approaching this recall in a different way.To better illustrate how serious this mishap is and its possible consequences, Matt opens up on his complicated decades-long journey with alcoholism and how he's finally managed to recover from it in the past two and a half years.Tune in for this brave story and more information on this possibly disastrous recall.In this episode:💩 [03:00] Matt's early introduction to alcohol💩 [04:06] From his teenage years all the way to COVID💩 [05:44] When Matt's addiction to alcohol got really bad💩 [09:45] The breaking point and Matt's hard road to sobriety💩 [18:13] The physical aspects behind addiction💩 [21:10] The feelings that come up in the process of recovery💩 [24:59] The mistakenly alcoholic Celsius Astro Vibe recall💩 [25:49] The risks if these mislabeled cans fall into kids' hands💩 [27:00] Understand High Noon's monumentally terrible whoops💩 [30:58] The seeming lack of quality control in these factories💩 [32:12] Energy drinks and their differences💩 [34:53] The recent diet Coke and regular Coke mix-upDisclaimer: Episode title and content do not constitute legal or health advice.Resources from this episodeListen to the song Paralyzed by NF.Learn more about Alcoholics Anonymous and find the one nearest to you at aa.org.Check out the NBC article Matt refers to when talking about the Celsius recall.Noteworthy quotes from this episode“ An alcoholic who is in recovery, getting a drink that has alcohol in it, and they don't know, that could be very bad. Will it kill them? No, that one alcohol drink is not going to kill them. Will it kill them because they start drinking again, and then everything goes down? Potentially.” – Matt Regusci“ Sometimes I wonder if some of these places even have quality control. I don't know. They have to, at some level, but you have to wonder.” – Francine L ShawWe 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? on Amazon! 🎙️ 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 episode 127 of Don’t Eat Poop!, our hosts Matt and Francine talked about a technological breakthrough that could zap the pathogens out of raw milk while preserving its beneficial components.Well, in this episode they are joined by the man behind it all, Bob Comstock, the Founder and CEO of Tamarack Biotics, the company that's developed this UV-based pasteurization process.Tune in to discover how this technology makes nutritious and safe milk, how it will replace thermal treatments, and how it's already making its way to the rest of the world.In this episode:💩 [01:11] Meet Bob Comstock and his journey with Tamarack Biotics💩 [02:57] How this UV-based technology makes milk safe💩 [06:44] The differences in milk after different treatments💩 [08:51] Improving milk's bioavailability and restoring immune function💩 [11:10] The 3 reasons this technology will change everything💩 [11:44] The FDA and the history of making milk safe💩 [12:47] How TruActive kills only the pathogens and leaves the rest💩 [15:40] Solving the biggest challenge in processing milk with heat💩 [16:40] Replacing heat with UV without changing dairy infrastructure💩 [19:00] Why the FDA is slowing down the adoption of this technology💩 [23:00] How UV-treated milk can prevent children from developing allergies💩 [25:07] This is already making its way to the rest of the world💩 [26:05] Making infant formula better and more nutritious💩 [29:33] Why plant-based milks can't compare with the real thing💩 [31:29] How this technology will affect the raw milk industry💩 [35:39] The groundbreaking approval from the FDA and the global rollout💩 [37:35] Research centers for dairy, food technology, and nutrition 💩 [40:16] The very real dangers of raw milk (take care of your cats)Disclaimer: Episode title and content do not constitute legal or health advice.Resources from this episodeCatch up with the episode where we first talked about Bob Comstock and his innovative technology, Episode 127 | Zapping Pathogens Could Be a Breakthrough For Making Raw Milk Safe.Learn more about Tamarack Biotics here.Catch up with one of the podcast's best episodes on raw milk: Episode 22 | Is It Safe to Drink Raw Milk? Food Safety Specialists Break It Down.Noteworthy quotes from this episode“This approval we got from the FDA was groundbreaking. It's opening an enormous door because they've affirmed that we're legal pasteurization of milk and that we're actually safer than heat. It's not a compromise in safety that some people might think from an alternative to heat, but it's safer.” – Bob ComstockWe 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 Bob, Francine, Matt, and the "Don't Eat Poop!" show on LinkedIn!📕 Check out Francine's book Who Watches the Kitchen? on Amazon! 🎙️ 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 are diving into the 2025 IFIC Food and Health Survey, a robust study that reveals confidence in U.S. food safety has hit an all-time low.Tune in for their analysis on the big shifts that have happened in consumer opinions and concerns over the past few years, and their opinion on what this means for food suppliers going forward.Keep in mind that there is a lot of their trademark humor throughout the episode. Don't always take things at face value, unless they're actual stats. Beware!In this episode:💩 [01:18] Matt's going from 11 to 12 forever kiddos💩 [07:32] Francine's health scare (don't worry, she's alright now)💩 [09:55] Confidence in U.S. food safety has hit an all-time low💩 [12:00] How different generations relate to the safety of their food💩 [15:43] Why overall confidence dropped so much so fast💩 [17:46] The pressure is on for food suppliers to catch up 💩 [19:55] The shift in consumers' major concerns around the U.S. food supply💩 [24:17] Consumers are becoming more worried about foodborne illnesses💩 [28:50] Growing concern over heavy metals, chemicals, and food dyes💩 [33:52] Americans' views on the safety of imported food💩 [37:21] Key results from the 2025 IFIC Food and Health SurveyDisclaimer: Episode title and content do not constitute legal or health advice.Resources from this episodeCheck out the Food Safety News article our hosts are talking about, Confidence in U.S. food safety hits an all-time low.Learn more about the Clean Label Project Certification at cleanlabelproject.org.Catch up on our previous episode for more on the Shakes Outbreak, Episode 129 | A Recap of 2025’s Major Outbreaks (So Far) with Bill Marler.Catch up on the episode where we talked about what MAHA is trying to push, Episode 125 | FDA Spikes the Ball and Claims Success.Watch Emmy award-winning documentary, Poisoned: The Dirty Truth About Your Food.Learn all about the WanaBana Cinnamon Applesauce Pouches Lead and Chromium Poisoning Outbreak with Episode 51.Noteworthy quotes from this episode“The food industry is going to have to shift. It just is. It's not a, if it's going to, it's a when it's going to because it won't be able to compete with other companies that address these issues. It just won't.” – Matt Regusci“ I don't think even three years ago that [...] people were aware of foodborne illnesses so much. Yeah, they existed. But [...] I don't think it was something that was really even thought about. Which makes me believe that things like Poisoned and the podcasts that are out there talking about these things are helping.” – Francine L ShawWe 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? on Amazon! 🎙️ 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 are joined by Bill Marler, the nation's leading foodborne illness attorney, to discuss some of the major outbreaks of 2025 (so far), those who aren't doing what they're supposed to, and how we can push for changes towards food safety.Buckle up because not only are there many, but they're very frustrating ones.We'll revisit the Boar's Head Outbreak as new violations have been found in other plants, and the company is reopening the plant from the outbreak. We'll tackle the Darwin Dog Food case, which has been linked to a four-year-old child who became infected with E. coli O157:H7 and developed HUS, as well as the Listeria Shake Outbreak in long-term care facilities, with 14 dead.In this episode:💩 [01:11] Sexy tractors and feeling politically out of place💩 [04:07] Do the Boar's Head executives even care?💩 [08:06] What Boar's Head is doing and what they should've done instead💩 [16:15] The frustrating E. coli-contaminated Darwin Dog Food case💩 [18:53] FDA's failure to enforce a product recall from Darwin💩 [24:14] How Bill is finally getting justice for the Shake Outbreak victims💩 [29:42] How companies can save lives by testing their products💩 [33:29] When authorities redact documents and withhold critical information 💩 [37:58] The Romaine Lettuce outbreak that remains a "mystery"💩 [42:49] How Bill Marler is unfortunately having to do the FDA and CDC's jobs💩 [50:04] The incredible success of the fight against E. coli in hamburgers💩 [55:04] Addressing the Poisoned documentary skepticsDisclaimer: Episode title and content do not constitute legal or health advice.Resources from this episodeRead the Marler Blog post with the 35 pages of non-conformances on Boar's Head's plants.Read about the frustrating E. coli-contaminated Darwin Dog Food case.Read about the Listeria Shake Outbreak in long-term care facilities.Here's the video with the keynote speaker saying we should "Put Bill Marler out of business".Watch Bill Marler and Darin Detwiler’s Emmy award-winning documentary, Poisoned: The Dirty Truth About Your Food.Read about the multi-state E. coli outbreak where the FDA and CDC chose to Romaine Silent.Catch up with past Bill Marler episodes:Episode 17Episode 18Bonus EpisodeEpisode 92Episode 100Noteworthy quotes from this episode“ I don't know why FDA won't name the romaine lettuce guys, even though they did when the same guys were growing onions. I don't have a good answer to that question other than I just think it sadly, undercuts the authority of public health, that they seem to be an honest broker in the process. It breaks my heart.” – Bill MarlerWe 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? on Amazon! 🎙️ 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.Think you know food safety? Think again. In this special highlight episode of Don’t Eat Poop, we’re rewinding to some of the most surprising facts we’ve ever shared on the show — the kind that can change the way you shop, cook, and eat.From chemical-laced decaf to disgusting yet FDA-approved gloves, these are real, documented truths that every food lover (and every food safety professional) should know… but most don’t.In this episode:💩 [01:43] Why some decaf coffee may contain industrial solvents — and what you should choose instead (yes, there is a safe option)💩 [04:40] The surprising truth about mayonnaise storage 💩 [06:52] Why washing this food does more harm than good 💩 [12:41] The big myth about “killing all bacteria” in fresh produce facilities and why washing produce at home won’t save you💩 [20:08] The dirty truth about disposable gloves (including the pathogens and contaminants found right out of the box)Disclaimer: Episode title and content do not constitute legal or health advice.Resources & ReferencesClean Label Project: Decaf Coffee Contaminants White PaperEpisode 111 | What They Don’t Tell You About Decaf Coffee That You Should Absolutely KnowEpisode 99 | 20 Food Items You Don’t Actually Need to RefrigerateEpisode 73 | Don’t Wash Your Chicken, SeriouslyEpisode 69 | A Look at the FDA’s Reorganization Plan and Some Food Safety MythbustingEpisode 115 | Gloves: Risks and Solutions for the Most Overlooked Zone 1 Food Safety Item with Steve Ardagh, CEO & Founder of Eagle ProtectNoteworthy quotes from this episode“Methylene Chloride is an active ingredient in paint thinner that was recently banned by the EPA. So you could not use this product to scrape paint off your walls. It's too dangerous for that, but to throw into some coffee beans to get rid of caffeine? No problem?!” – Matt Regusci“We know from independent research that in tests done on 2,800 new and unused gloves from 26 different brands, over 260 different viable pathogens were found. Listeria, E. coli, Salmonella. Name it, it was there. ” – Francine L ShawWe 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? on Amazon! 🎙️ 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 are revisiting a much-discussed topic within the food safety world: raw milk.Despite its undeniable health benefits, the long list of dangerous pathogens that may be present makes consuming raw milk far too risky. Until now, the only way to make sure milk is safe for consumption has been through pasteurization; however, an emerging advanced UV light technology may change the game.Tune in to discover what we know so far about the breakthrough that promises to zap pathogens out of raw milk while preserving its beneficial components, which will save lots of lives.In this episode:💩 [01:02] No sympathy for a man cold💩 [06:49] Why you can potentially die if you drink raw milk💩 [08:58] A possible way to make raw milk safe without pasteurization💩 [10:58] PSA about contacting Matt and Francine on LinkedIn💩 [12:14] The new technology and what is FDA-approved so far💩 [16:41] A macro view of how the process possibly works💩 [19:53] What will make or break this new technology💩 [21:31] The importance of agreeing to disagree💩 [23:08] The potential uses and impact of this treatment process💩 [25:22] The benefits for raw milk producers and consumers💩 [27:25] How about some Don't Eat Poop! merch?Disclaimer: Episode title and content do not constitute legal or health advice.Resources from this episodeCheck out the Food Safety News article our hosts are talking about, Zapping pathogens could be breakthrough for raw milk.Catch up with one of the podcast's best episodes on raw milk: Episode 22 | Is It Safe to Drink Raw Milk? Food Safety Specialists Break It Down.Listen to our previous episode with Roger Hancock: Episode 126 | How the FDA Wants YOU to Fix Food Safety Recalls.Noteworthy quotes from this episode"Who doesn't know there's poop in raw milk? There's poop in pasteurized milk. The difference is it's pasteurized, so it's got rid of the pathogens." – Matt Regusci“They've been advertising [these UV light treatments] in kitchens for equipment and things like that for years. I've always been a bit skeptical [...] because it's only going to sanitize where the light can reach. [...] That wouldn't be the case with this. I mean, it's kind of exciting.” – Francine L ShawWe 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? on Amazon! 🎙️ 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.What happens when the FDA says, “Help us help you!” in the middle of recall chaos? You get an impromptu - and enlightening - episode featuring food recall expert Roger Hancock, CEO of Recall InfoLink. In this episode of Don’t Eat Poop!, our hosts Matt and Francine, together with Roger, dive into a recently released (and very quietly announced) FDA letter calling on the food industry to step up and collaborate on modernizing food recall systems - especially for products impacting babies and kids.Spoiler alert: this episode is part policy analysis, part industry gossip, and part Roger being roped into a podcast live via a surprise call. You’re welcome.In this episode:💩 [01:07] Introducing Roger Hancock, CEO of Recall InfoLink💩 [03:38] Roger breaks down the FDA’s 2025 recall modernization priority💩 [05:55] FDA’s letter to industry leaders💩 [08:00] When are you required to notify the FDA about a recall?💩 [11:12] Is reporting to the FDA really that tedious? Roger spills the data💩 [13:28] Recall communication protocols💩 [16:12] Infant formula, foods intended for children, and allergens💩 [17:32] The three pillars of every recall and why message delivery isn’t enough💩 [21:14] Increasing the speed of recall classification💩 [27:12] Recall processes, standardizing data, and AI💩 [35:37] Modernizing data submissions💩 [43:16] Why consumers never hear about recallsDisclaimer: Episode title and content do not constitute legal or health advice.Resources from this episodeTake a look at the food safety news article we’re talking about today: FDA wants industry to suggest how to better use recalls for food safetyBehind the Scenes at the Food Safety Consortium with Rick Biros: Conference Culture, Compliance & Community | Episode 123Alliance for Recall Ready CommunitiesNoteworthy quotes from this episode“ The important part of recall, quite frankly, isn't the message. The important part about a recall is the action.” – Roger Hancock“ There's a variety of potential outcomes for a defective product, but those three things are critical. Defective product, consumers that have purchased it, and instructions about what to do.” – Roger HancockWe 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 Roger, Francine, Matt, and the "Don't Eat Poop!" show on LinkedIn!📕 Check out Francine's book Who Watches the Kitchen? on Amazon! 🎙️ 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.The FDA just dropped a list of food safety "wins," and in this episode of Don’t Eat Poop!, our hosts Matt and Francine are here to break it down. Spoiler: If you're hoping for action on salmonella-in-your-eggs or listeria-in-your-lunchmeat, you might want to lower your expectations. Matt and Francine dissect what the FDA is really prioritizing (hint: it’s not pathogen prevention), why “generally recognized as safe” might be due for a rebrand, and what Frank Yiannas had to say with his subtle-but-spicy LinkedIn post. In this episode:💩 [01:08] Introducing Don’t Eat Poop’s new sponsor💩 [04:36] The FDA’s 100 Days of Embracing Gold-Standard Science, Transparency and Common Sense💩 [06:00] Infant formula improvements💩 [09:00] Titanium dioxide and other banned substances💩 [10:03] GRAS reform: What “generally recognized as safe” really means💩 [11:14] Nature food dyes💩 [12:12] Defining “ultra-processed foods” is harder than you think💩 [14:56] Frank Yiannas’s take on the FDA’s 100 Days💩 [20:37] Using AI to help utilize big data💩 [22:58] The drug side of the FDA gets 3x more attention than the food side💩 [26:36] Two types of safety: what kills you now vs. what kills you slowlyDisclaimer: Episode title and content do not constitute legal or health advice.Resources from this episodeTake a look at the FDA’s 100 Days of Embracing Gold-Standard Science, Transparency and Common Sense here.Listeria’s Lasting Damage: A Food Safety Wake-Up Call | Episode 122. Listen here.Noteworthy quotes from this episode“ The FDA should actually be renamed DAF. Drug administration and food. It's like food is an afterthought in the FDA.” – Matt Regusci“ We need to think about the American consumers and keeping their food safe because we don't want them to die when they eat their food.” – Francine L ShawWe 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? on Amazon! 🎙️ 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 jaw-dropping episode of Don’t Eat Poop!, our hosts Matt and Francine unpack a food safety scandal so grotesque it could make you ill just thinking about it. From a Kansas City steakhouse scandal involving literal food contamination for fetish content, to cringe-worthy confessions from food safety trainees, this episode hits every horrifying note in the foodservice handbook of “what not to do.”Hold onto your lunch: this is the food safety podcast episode you wish was fiction.In this episode:💩 [02:28] The cult classic restaurant movie - Waiting💩 [05:11] The case of Jace Hanson💩 [10:36] Food contamination for Grindr clout💩 [12:26] Confessions from a food safety trainee💩 [17:17] How improper storage and poor practices shut down a high-end restaurant💩 [22:18] The fallout: 380 complaints, 130 illnesses, and one closed restaurant💩 [28:37] Why culture fit matters in food safetyDisclaimer: Episode title and content do not constitute legal or health advice.Resources from this episodeTake a look at the article we’re talking about in this episode: https://www.foodsafetynews.com/2025/07/man-in-kansas-pleads-guilty-to-contaminating-food-at-upscale-restaurant/ Noteworthy quotes from this episode“ The Leawood police said that they eventually received 380 tips about food contamination from diners who ate at the restaurant. 380 in one month. So if you guys are ever curious about hiring practices and how important that is, it's very important.” – Matt Regusci“Never did I think I’d read Food Safety News and Grindr in the same sentence.” – Francine L ShawWe 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? on Amazon! 🎙️ 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! recorded on-site at the 2024 Food Safety Consortium, our hosts Matt and Francine sit down with Rick Biros, the mastermind behind the conference and publisher of Food Safety Tech. From escalator woes to high-level discussions on FSMA 204 and food safety culture metrics, this episode captures the pulse of a post-pandemic industry ready to level up. Whether you're an industry vet or a newcomer, get ready for insights and a healthy dose of laughter.In this episode:💩 [01:41] Kicking things off with Rick Biros💩 [04:30] The escalator strikes again! Why venue logistics matter💩 [06:55] The value of a conference: education & networking💩 [08:59] FSMA 204, listeria outbreaks, and why the food safety industry is “waking up”💩 [11:06] Chemical testing rising💩 [13:16] The AFFI partnership: how collaboration upgraded the agenda💩 [17:17] Women in Food Safety Breakfast: growing stronger every year💩 [19:37] What’s next for Food Safety Tech: more projects & purpose💩 [22:12] Measuring food safety cultureDisclaimer: Episode title and content do not constitute legal or health advice.Resources from this episodeVisit: https://foodsafetytech.com/Noteworthy quotes from this episode“ We've not really been paying a lot of attention from a regulatory standpoint on chemical testing. That's been all Europe's big issues. Now with forever chemicals and a lot of the other issues, we're going to see an increase in the aspect of analytical testing that we've not seen in a long time in the food industry.” – Rick BirosWe 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 Rick, Francine, Matt, and the "Don't Eat Poop!" show on LinkedIn!📕 Check out Francine's book Who Watches the Kitchen? on Amazon! 🎙️ 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.When foodborne illness becomes a life sentence, who carries the burden? In this gut-wrenching episode of Don’t Eat Poop!, our hosts Matt and Francine share the devastating story of John Trahar - a once-vibrant entrepreneur now reduced to a shadow of himself after a listeria infection caused bacterial meningitis. It's not just about pathogens and paperwork; it's about people. This episode puts a very real, very human face on why preventing foodborne illness isn't optional.In this episode:💩 [05:20] Introduction to Bill Marler💩 [05:57] Listeria strikes again: backstory on the Mexico potato connection💩 [07:54] The devastating effects of listeria💩 [14:32] What bacterial meningitis means for a human body💩 [19:00] John’s wife’s emotional reality💩 [22:10] Family fallout: Impact on their teenage son and family business💩 [28:43] Where's the FDA? Lingering questions about traceback and accountability💩 [30:51] Why storytelling matters in food safety cultureDisclaimer: Episode title and content do not constitute legal or health advice.Resources from this episodeCheck out Bill Marler’s blog: https://www.marlerblog.com/ The case that we’re talking about today: https://www.marlerblog.com/case-news/a-tragic-listeria-illness-and-the-search-for-the-cause/ Noteworthy quotes from this episode“ Dying from listeria is probably one of the worst ways to die. [...] It's perpetual pain.” – Matt Regusci“ I wouldn’t want to live with listeria. I would prefer to die.” – Francine L ShawWe 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? on Amazon! 🎙️ 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.When a fired Disney employee went full villain and hacked into the company's menu system, the consequences weren’t just petty - they were potentially deadly. In this episode of Don’t Eat Poop!, our hosts Matt and Francine dive headfirst into the bizarre true story of a rogue ex-employee who changed prices, dropped profanities, and worst of all, tampered with allergen info on Disney’s restaurant menus. From food defense to the overlooked cybersecurity risks in food service, this is one story where food safety, tech, and a little insanity collide.In this episode:💩 [05:19] A fired Disney employee hacks into Disney’s menus💩 [09:12] From paternity leave to felony charges💩 [11:44] How allergen tampering crosses a deadly line💩 [14:21] Trying to understand the motives behind the menu hacking💩 [16:41] Software security failures and food safety💩 [21:24] Who should have access to menu allergens?💩 [24:06] Understanding the severity of allergen tamperingDisclaimer: Episode title and content do not constitute legal or health advice.Resources from this episodeFind the past episode on hacking and food safety here: Some Growing Food Safety Threats That Most Don’t Think About But Can Gravely Affect Your Facility | Episode 116Noteworthy quotes from this episode“ I don't think they would've thrown the book at him as much as they did until he started jacking with allergens because that's changing it from a bad prank [...] to manslaughter.” – Matt Regusci“ I understand being angry, but the things that he did went beyond hurting the company. [...] Some of them could have killed people.” – Francine L ShawWe 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? on Amazon! 🎙️ 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.Is your wheat toast a weapon waiting to happen? In this eye-opening episode of the Don't Eat Poop!, our hosts Francine and Matt unpack a disturbing real-world threat: the smuggling of a biological weapon-grade fungus into the U.S. food system. From fusarium head blight to potential global famine, they connect the dots between agroterrorism, supply chain vulnerabilities, and why food safety professionals need to think like defense strategists. It’s not paranoia, it’s preparedness.In this episode:💩 [04:38] Francine and Matt recap their global webinar on the future of food safety💩 [05:11] Bioterrorism: Why internal threats are often more dangerous than external ones💩 [06:55] The case of the Chinese doctoral students smuggling fusarium head blight (FHB) into U.S. labs💩 [08:52] A breakdown of FHB’s economic and food security impact💩 [13:37] Global catastrophe potential: How disrupting the Western Hemisphere’s grain supply could trigger a worldwide famine💩 [17:25] Could bioterrorism reverse decades of food production efficiency?💩 [22:55] What food producers and processors can (and can’t) do💩 [31:50] Why training and trust alone won’t cut itDisclaimer: Episode title and content do not constitute legal or health advice.Resources from this episodeCheck out this past episode on food terrorism: Some Growing Food Safety Threats That Most Don’t Think About But Can Gravely Affect Your Facility | Episode 116Noteworthy quotes from this episode“ I don't think we have to have a nuclear war in order to kill every human being in the United States. A bioterrorist war would do it,” – Matt Regusci“ I truly believed that everybody just operated to the best of their ability and cared about what they served and how they served it. It was so eye-opening for me when I became an inspector and realized that that was not the case.” – Francine L ShawWe 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? on Amazon! 🎙️ 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.When your cucumbers keep ending up on outbreak lists, it’s time to ask: what the actual food safety fail is going on?In this episode of Don’t Eat Poop!, our hosts Matt and Francine dig into the repeat salmonella outbreaks linked to Bedner Growers - and why the phrase “voluntary recall” should still raise your eyebrows. They dissect how the contamination trail is traced, what might really be behind recurring farm-based outbreaks, and why cross-contamination is everyone’s problem. Whether you're running a farm, a food service kitchen, or just trying to avoid the “poop” in your produce, this one’s a wake-up call.In this episode:💩 [03:02] The shift from consumer ignorance to awareness of food safety💩 [05:32] Bedner Growers: One salmonella outbreak is bad–two is a pattern💩 [08:02] How tracebacks work💩 [12:35] Epidemiology 101: What did you eat... a week ago?💩 [17:16] Farming and food safety: Where does Salmonella come from?💩 [20:59] Most farms don’t survive a salmonella outbreak💩 [25:54] Ripple effects: How one farm’s mistake can tank a whole commodity💩 [32:24] Lessons from Jack in the Box, Chipotle, and other infamous outbreaks💩 [35:35] Food safety and insurance companiesDisclaimer: Episode title and content do not constitute legal or health advice.Resources from this episodeCheck out the Food Safety News article our hosts are talking about, Bedner cucumbers are back, making people sick once again.Noteworthy quotes from this episode“ You can't taste [salmonella], you can't see it, you can't smell it. It's invisible to the naked eye, but not invisible to the human body system.” – Matt Regusci“All foodborne illnesses are preventable. You get them from eating something that's contaminated. Are we ever going to eliminate all of them? No. But they're all preventable.” – Francine L ShawWe 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? on Amazon! 🎙️ 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 raw and eye-opening episode of Don’t Eat Poop!, our hosts Matt and Francine tackle one of the deadliest (and most misunderstood) topics in the food industry: food allergies. Prompted by a tragic case of a mislabeled cookie causing a grandmother’s death, they break down how simple labeling mistakes and casual attitudes toward allergens can have lethal consequences. From cross-contact catastrophes to faux allergy fibbers, this episode dives deep into the real-life implications of allergy mismanagement in both food service and retail.Whether you're managing a restaurant kitchen, hosting kids at summer camp, or buying cookies at a supermarket, this one’s a must-listen for anyone serious about food safety compliance.In this episode:💩 [02:53] Mislabeling leads to a fatal peanut allergy reaction💩 [05:00] Why labeling systems fail and how POS errors put lives at risk💩 [05:59] Fake allergy claims and their dangerous consequences💩 [08:38] The allergy vs. intolerance debate💩 [13:41] When an NBC announcer had to leave the Kentucky Derby due to allergen exposure on live TV💩 [15:54] Carrying your EpiPen with you everywhere you go💩 [20:16] Brazilian nuts can be toxic in high quantities💩 [23:15] The dangers of cross-contamination💩 [26:08] Why even lettuce needs label clarity💩 [29:47] Anaphylaxis as a special needDisclaimer: Episode title and content do not constitute legal or health advice.Resources from this episodeCheck out the Food Safety News article our hosts are talking about, Family sues Safeway after mislabeled cookie causes grandmother’s death.Take a look at the last allergen episode, Diving Back Into Food Allergies: Important Data, Recent Deaths, and Hidden Dangers | Episode 58Noteworthy quotes from this episode“ When people say that they're allergic, it desensitizes people to the real fact that people who are actually allergic to this are carrying an EpiPen and this could kill them from anaphylactic shock.” – Matt Regusci“ There are a million reasons as to why people don't take [food allergies] as seriously as they should, but none of that negates how serious it is. People die.” – Francine L ShawWe 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? on Amazon! 🎙️ 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 dive into the dark, crunchy underbelly of food safety: cockroach infestations.They kick things off with a recent incident at Erewhon’s luxury tonic bar in Santa Monica, temporarily shut down after cockroaches were discovered in a cabinet. But things quickly escalate when Francine shares one of the worst infestation cases of her career.The hosts dig into the gaps in pest control protocols, how poor vendor oversight can keep infestations alive, and the often-overlooked realities of food safety enforcement.In this episode:💩 [04:07] The cockroach violation at Erewhon’s luxury tonic bar in Santa Monica💩 [07:59] Francine’s craziest cockroach story💩 [09:03] What happens when you spray a bad cockroach infestation💩 [13:17] What it takes for the health department to reopen a restaurant💩 [16:34] The psychological effect of inspecting a bad cockroach infestation💩 [18:44] Taking food safety seriously💩 [20:35] A fill factor💩 [21:59] What they found at Erewhon’s luxury tonic bar in Santa Monica💩 [23:05] Where there’s one cockroach, there are thousands💩 [24:49] Consumer reaction to the Erewhon cockroach violation💩 [27:20] The need for weekly pest control💩 [28:44] The expectations of Erewhon’s luxury tonic bar customersDisclaimer: Episode title and content do not constitute legal or health advice.Resources from this episodeCheck out the Food Safety News article our hosts are talking about, Cockroach violation shuts down Erewhon’s luxury tonic bar in Santa Monica.Noteworthy quotes from this episode“If you're paying 20 bucks for a smoothie or a tonic, you probably don't want cockroaches as the added ingredient.” – Matt Regusci“[Cockroaches] were inside the milkshake machine. They were everywhere. [...] This does not happen overnight. It took a while for it to get this bad.” – Francine L ShawWe 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? on Amazon! 🎙️ 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