Food Safety Matters

Jenny Du, Ph.D. is Co-Founder of Apeel Sciences, a post-harvest intelligence and solutions company helping suppliers and retailers deliver fresh, healthier, and simply better produce at scale—using plant-based materials science to close the gap between what consumers expect from fresh produce and what the supply chain is able to deliver. Jenny earned her bachelor's degree in engineering chemistry and her Ph.D. in chemistry from Queen's University in Ontario, Canada, where she was awarded an Alexander Graham Bell Canada Graduate Scholarship. She then joined the University of California, Santa Barbara as a postdoctoral researcher in chemistry, where she met co-founders James Rogers and Lou Perez. In 2013, the three founded Apeel in a garage in Goleta, California. Today, Apeel has earned regulatory clearances and operates in several markets worldwide, including in the U.S. and in Europe. Jenny was named to Inc.'s 2021 Top Female Founders 100 list and named one of TED's Top 10 most-watched speakers of the year following her 2025 talk, "The Science of Making Fruits and Veggies Last Longer."
In this episode of Food Safety Matters, we speak with Jenny [1:51] about:
Her journey from being a postdoctoral chemistry researcher to co-founding Apeel Sciences
The science behind Apeel's clean, edible produce coating and how it differs from traditional products applied to produce post-harvest
Apeel's evaluation and approvals by FDA, EFSA, and regulators in more than 40 countries
How Apeel disrupts the existing $11 billion dollar post-harvest industry and what happens to produce between the field and retail
The implications of Apeel on food safety standards and protocols for post-harvest treatment and microbial control
Apeel's response to industry resistance and disinformation
The broader consumer movement demanding transparency about food production and ingredients, and where Apeel fits into this conversation.
Resources
Follow Apeel Sciences on Substack!
Sponsored by:
Apeel Sciences
We Want to Hear from You!
Please send us your questions and suggestions to [email protected].

Sandro Tarchini serves as Global Head of Business Development at Cardano Foundation. He has more than a decade of experience in digital financial services, fintech innovation, and strategic partnerships across blockchain and traditional finance sectors. Prior to joining the Foundation, he worked at PricewaterhouseCoopers, Saxo Bank, and most recently, Wyden. Sandro's latest work at the Foundation includes collaboration with Grant Thornton Switzerland to execute the first financial audit attestation on a blockchain.
In this episode of Food Safety Matters, we speak with Sandro [38:28] about:
What blockchain is, and how it can be applied to the food supply chain to improve traceability and transparency
How blockchain's "immutable transparency" could help solve problems like food fraud and increase trust in food systems
Hurdles to industry adoption of blockchain technology for traceability
The Cardano Foundation's work with the Georgian National Wine Agency to establish the Georgian Wine Traceability Program, which uses blockchain to authenticate wine from vineyard to retail
Educational resources offered by the Cardano Foundation to help industry understand and adopt blockchain solutions
Trends driving blockchain momentum, such as regulatory changes, and near-term challenges to blockchain implementation
Lessons and best practices for setting up the right ecosystem of partners and resources in Switzerland, where the Cardano Foundation is based.
Before we speak to Sandro, listen to Adrienne's interview with Patrick Schneider [22:17], Vice President of Operations and Engineering at CDG Environmental LLC, about the importance of chlorine dioxide for comprehensive sanitation programs in food manufacturing facilities. Patrick also discusses what sets CDG's chlorine dioxide solutions apart from others on the market, as well as CDG's presence at the upcoming Food Safety Summit.
News and Resources
News
FDA FY 2027 Budget Request Includes $57 Million for 'MAHA' [5:31]
FDA Launches BRIDGE Project to Modernize Food Facility Inspections [8:23]
FDA Finds Adulteration in 4 Percent of Honey Samples [13:19]
Global Survey Highlights Gaps and Opportunities in Food Safety Training [15:06]
Study Evaluates Pathogen Reductions on Microgreens Treated with UV-C [19:41]
USDA Creates Office of Seafood [21:00]
Resources
Cardano Foundation
Food Safety Summit Live Streaming
Register for the Food Safety Summit, taking place May 11–14 in Rosemont, Illinois!
Sponsored by:
CDG Environmental
Visit CDG–the Chlorine Dioxide Company at Booth #446 at the 2026 Food Safety Summit!
We Want to Hear from You!
Please send us your questions and suggestions to [email protected]

Suzette Stalker is Director of FSQA Program Compliance at FreshRealm Inc. Formerly, she served as Director of Food Safety, Quality, and Regulatory compliance at Target Corporation. At Target, Suzette was responsible for food safety standards and programs, covering nearly 2,000 stores and more than 60 supply chain facilities. Her work encompassed owned brand supplier manufacturing facilities, product labeling, produce farms, supply chain facilities, retail stores, and managing food recalls. Previously, Suzette led teams to develop and execute comprehensive internal audits of food safety and operational risks across Target.
Before joining Target, Suzette gained valuable food safety and quality experience in manufacturing with roles at Agropur and Schroeder Milk Company, where she implemented Global Food Safety Initiative (GFSI) programs across multiple factories. Suzette holds a bachelor's degree in biology from the College of St. Scholastica.
Sabrina Terada is the Manager for Food Safety Risk Management and Measurement at Yum! Brands. She is a seasoned professional in food safety and quality assurance with extensive experience at Yum! Brands, where her roles have included Manager of Global Food Safety Risk Management and Measurement and Manager of Global FSQA. In these positions, Sabrina held responsibilities supporting the Food Safety Governance Framework, coaching, and assisting business units with crisis management.
Her prior experience includes serving as a Food Safety Specialist at Citrosuco, where she established certifications and coordinated Hazards Analysis and Critical Control Points (HACCP), and as a master's student at the University of Florida researching enzyme reactions. She holds a master's degree in Food Science and Technology from the University of Florida and a bachelor's degree in Food Technology and Processing from Universidade Federal de Viçosa.
In this episode of Food Safety Matters, we speak with Suzette and Sabrina [30:38] about:
Their contributions as members of the Editorial Advisory Board for the 2026 Food Safety Summit and the value the Summit brings to industry and the broader food safety community
The differences between food safety risk management in manufacturing and retail environments
The perspective that global experiences offer in the context of food safety risk management
Leadership strategies that can help manage food safety programs for large-scale operations with thousands of stores
The challenges that companies may face when trying to implement a strong food safety governance structure across multiple brands, markets, or business units
A real-world example that illustrates how an imported food safety issue can escalate into a regulatory or crisis communication challenge, previewing Suzette's Summit session, "Beyond the Headlines: Food Safety Risks in Imported Foods"
The importance of bridging the gap between quality teams and business operations in the context of food safety culture and building effective food safety programs, previewing Sabrina's Summit session, "Beyond Compliance: Elevating Food Safety Buy-In Through Interpersonal Influence"
Key skills and experiences for food safety professionals entering the field today.
News and Resources
News
IFSAC Publishes Latest U.S. Foodborne Illness Source Attribution Estimates [6:43]
Raw Farm Recalls Unpasteurized Cheese While Denying Link to E. coli Outbreak [11:47]
Patient Count in Raw Farm E. coli Outbreak Grows, Majority are Young Children
GFSI Unveils Updated Food Safety Culture Framework [21:05]
UK FSA Reveals Plans to Modernize Food Regulatory System [26:14]
Resources
The 2026 Food Safety Summit, taking place May 11–14 in Rosemont, Illinois!
Public Fails to Appreciate Risk of Consuming Raw Milk, Survey Finds (Annenberg Public Policy Center)
Sponsored by:
Michigan State University Online Food Safety Program

Chris McGarvey is the Director of the Regulatory and Compliance Team for Walker Morris LLP in the UK. He has more than 25 years of experience working in both the private and public sector, and has a track record of helping clients navigate complex legal challenges in areas of highly regulated economic activity. Chris specializes in food law and led the Food Standards Agency's (FSA's) Legal Team through Brexit, the COVID-19 pandemic, and supply chain challenges associated with the Ukraine conflict. Chris' typical clients are Directors, Senior Managers, and specialists, particularly food scientists, who demand quick, accessible, and accurate advice. His work often has national reach and spans all four nations of the UK.
In this episode of Food Safety Matters, we speak with Chris [26:40] about:
Impending regulatory changes in the UK and EU that will have immediate impacts for food business operations, and what companies should be doing to prepare
The legal, ethical, and compliance challenges posed by the increasing regulatory attention being paid to emerging food innovations like precision fermentation and cannabidiol (CBD) products, and the potential influence of consumer perceptions on regulatory outcomes
How Brexit can serve as a case study for food businesses navigating significant regulatory changes
The legal and financial implications for food exporters related to ongoing UK–EU food trade negotiations
Benefits, drawbacks, and realities of the EU's prescriptive, stringent approach to regulating food substances versus the U.S.'s current deregulatory, voluntary approach
Possible consumer health and legal outcomes that could emerge if countries choose to adopt Codex-aligned, risk-based precautionary allergen labeling (PAL) requirements
Advice for companies to go beyond minimum compliance with traceability and recall regulatory requirements, including the role that technology can play in achieving this goal.
News and Resources
News
Larry Keener to be Honored with Food Safety Magazine's 2026 Distinguished Service Award [7:16]
RFK Jr. Says Federal Ultra-Processed Foods Definition is Coming in April [8:49]
FDA Releases Initial Findings from Foodborne Pathogen Study in California Growing Region [15:09]
EU Considers Adoption of Harmonized Precautionary Allergen Labeling Rules [20:27]
UK-EU Trade Agreement Would Harmonize Certain Food Safety Rules by Mid-2027 [21:33]
EU Launches AI Traceability Platform to Strengthen Detection of Food Fraud, Safety Risks [22:45]
World Food Safety Day 2026 to Coincide with Release of Updated WHO Foodborne Disease Burden Estimates [23:33]
Resources
"2026 Trends in the EU/UK Food Law Space" by Chris McGarvey
Sponsored by:
Eagle Product Inspection
We Want to Hear from You!
Please send us your questions and suggestions to [email protected]

Kye Luker serves as the Chief Product Officer at FlexXray, where he leads development of the company's innovative X-ray inspection process and technology. With more than two decades of experience in the service, consumer packaged goods (CPG), and food and beverage industries, Kye brings a wealth of knowledge in continuous improvement, quality assurance, and formulations to his role.
In this episode of Food Safety Matters, we speak with Kye [1:34] about:
How foreign material (FM) contamination continues to challenge food manufacturers as it remains one of the leading causes of food recalls each year
Why certain contaminants are difficult to detect with traditional metal detectors and inline X-ray systems
How many FM control strategies remain reactive, with detection systems acting primarily as signaling devices rather than preventing contamination upstream
The role of third-party inspection partners in helping manufacturers investigate FM incidents, narrow hold windows, and support data-driven product release decisions
Key limitations of re-inspecting product in-house using the same inline equipment, speeds, and sensitivity settings that originally failed to detect FM
How computed tomography (CT) inspection can analyze products in three dimensions, allowing inspectors to identify FM hidden by layering effects in complex food products
The benefits of a multi-pronged FM control strategy that combines upstream detection technologies with advanced downstream inspection
Advanced technologies utilized by FlexXray to enhance detection sensitivity and precision, including photon-counting X-ray systems and machine learning algorithms.
Resources
2025 Foreign Material in Food Benchmark Report
Sponsored by:
FlexXray