Rephonic
Artwork for Smarter Food Safety

Smarter Food Safety

Frank Yiannas
Food Safety
Food Safety Modernization Act
Food Colorings
FDA
Food Safety Culture
Whole Genome Sequencing
Salmonella
Artificial Intelligence
CNN
New World Screwworm
Foodborne Illness
Hyperactivity
Listeria
Foodborne Illnesses
FSIS
Food Safety Data and Technology
Listeria Monocytogenes
Risk-Based Food Safety
Alphabet / Google X
Food Traceability

Smarter Food Safety is a science-based, straight-talk podcast hosted by former FDA Deputy Commissioner Frank Yiannas. Each episode goes beyond headlines to explore outbreaks, policy, culture, and emerging risks, with practical insights from global leaders across industry, government, and academia. Designed for food safety professionals, decision-makers, and innovators, the show delivers real-world... more

PublishesTwice monthlyEpisodes12Founded5 months ago
Number of ListenersCategories
TechnologyNewsNews Commentary

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Artwork for Smarter Food Safety

Latest Episodes

The return of New World Screwworm has raised important questions about the resilience of the U.S. food system. In this episode of the Smarter Food Safety podcast, Dr. Mindy Brashears, U.S. Under Secretary for Food Safety at the USDA, returns to discu... more

When a food safety crisis unfolds, journalists help shape how the public understands risk, responsibility, and trust. Over the next two episodes of the Smarter Food Safety podcast, in a two-part series, Frank Yiannas sits down with two different repo... more

Why do food safety failures continue to happen in companies with strong audit scores, detailed procedures, and years, or even decades, without a major incident?

In this episode of the Smarter Food Safety Podcast, Frank Yiannas is joined by Dr. Phil ... more

This episode tackles one of the most misunderstood concepts in the food industry: microbiological testing. Just because a food test comes back negative doesn’t necessarily mean the food is safe, and overconfidence in testing can create dangerous blin... more

Key Facts

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Number of Listeners
Find out how many people listen to this podcast per episode and each month.

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Recent Guests

Brenda Goodman
Health reporter at CNN covering health, health policy, and medicine
CNN
Episode: Breaking News, Broken Trust: The Media's Role in Food Safety (Mainstream Media Perspective)
Dr. Phil Bremer
Chief Scientist at the New Zealand Food Safety Science and Research Centre; Professor at the University of Otago
New Zealand Food Safety Science and Research Centre; University of Otago
Episode: Safe, Until it Isn't: Why Companies Become Complacent in Food Safety
Marcel Zwietering
Professor of food microbiology; Chair of ICMSF
Wageningen University, Netherlands
Episode: False Confidence: When Food Testing Gets Sampling Wrong
Sophie Attwood
Cambridge-trained behavioral scientist focusing on health challenges in the food system
Behavioral Global
Episode: Front of Pack Food Labels: Nudge or Noise!
Bill Marler
Food safety attorney, founder of Marler Clark
Marler Clark
Episode: Food Safety on Trial: Litigate, Regulate, or Innovate? (with Bill Marler)
Dr. Elliott Grant
Formerly with X/Mineral; AI and food safety expert
Alphabet / Mineral; Cambridge-based researcher
Episode: Food Safety Moonshot: Using AI to Strengthen Prevention (with Dr. Elliott Grant)
Martin Wiedmann
Professor at Cornell University, researcher and expert in food safety
Cornell University
Episode: Rethinking Food Safety: Bending the Curve of Foodborne Illness (with Martin Wiedmann)
Mindy Brashears
Deputy Undersecretary for Food Safety, USDA (recently returned)
USDA FSIS
Episode: Protecting America’s Plate: USDA’s Food Safety Priorities (with Dr. Mindy Brashears)
Dave Schoneker
Chemist, adjunct professor, and author with extensive experience in food coloring regulations and safety
Episode: The Frenzy Over Food Colorings – Real or Perceived Risks? (with Dave Schoneker)

Host

Frank Yiannas
Host with extensive FDA background and leadership in food safety policy; known for guiding discussions with industry, government, and academia.

Reviews

5.0 out of 5 stars from 13 ratings
  • Frank Yiannas on the Future of Food Safety

    Frank Yiannas delivers a clear and timely message: food safety is no longer just about compliance—it’s about culture, data, and speed.

    Drawing on his leadership at the U.S. Food and Drug Administration and in industry, Frank Yiannas outlines the shift from reactive systems to predictive, technology-enabled food safety. It’s a message that resonates—but more importantly, it’s one that’s already playing out operationally.

    Where This Hits in the Real World

    In my first month leading Food Safe... more

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    John F. Schulz
    United States3 months ago
  • One of a kind

    I love that Frank is having real experts in the food safety field on as guests! The episode on food colorings was eye opening, and in general I love hearing the various perspectives and the technologies shaping the future of food safety.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Aaron_eVega
    United States4 months ago

Listeners Say

Key themes from listener reviews, highlighting what works and what could be improved about the show.

The show is praised for clear, actionable discussions that aid decision-makers.
Listeners value the depth of expertise and real-world insights.
Episodes balance technical detail with practical takeaways for teams.
Guest variety signals broad coverage across policy, science, and tech.

Chart Rankings

How this podcast ranks in the Apple Podcasts, Spotify and YouTube charts.

Apple Podcasts
#239
India/Technology

Talking Points

Recent interactions between the hosts and their guests.

Breaking News, Broken Trust: The Media's Role in Food Safety (Mainstream Media Perspective)
Q: What should food safety professionals do first when approached by reporters?
Respond promptly, be willing to talk, and understand reporters' needs; provide clear, verifiable information, and consider starting with on-the-record exchanges while offering background context when appropriate.
Breaking News, Broken Trust: The Media's Role in Food Safety (Mainstream Media Perspective)
Q: Why do you think there's broken trust and skepticism toward reporters in the first place?
The guests discuss a broad trust bust in society, amplified by social media, where fake or sensational content can spread quickly; they emphasize the need for transparency, showing work, and credible sourcing to rebuild trust.
Front of Pack Food Labels: Nudge or Noise!
Q: You mentioned macro factors driving chronic diseases and why this issue is important now. Can you summarize the main drivers and how front-of-pack labeling fits in?
Chronic diseases are largely lifestyle-related, driven by factors like smoking, alcohol, physical inactivity, and dietary choices. Front-of-pack labeling is one tool among many to influence consumer behavior; its real-world impact depends on design, context, and how it interacts with the broader food environment.
Protecting America’s Plate: USDA’s Food Safety Priorities (with Dr. Mindy Brashears)
Q: What is your initial take on how FSIS can help reduce poultry-associated salmonellosis given the evolving science?
Brashears shares a data-driven approach, emphasizing understanding pathogenic strains (e.g., Salmonella Kentucky), validating quantitative thresholds, and coordinating with ARS to implement targeted interventions across poultry, beef, and pork.
Protecting America’s Plate: USDA’s Food Safety Priorities (with Dr. Mindy Brashears)
Q: Two months in, are there any concepts or priorities that are rising to the top for the agency?
Mindy Brashears responds that salmonella reduction and listeria control remain the top priorities, with a focus on training, new technologies, and data-informed decision making to accelerate preventive actions and strengthen the inspector workforce.

Audience Metrics

Listeners, social reach, demographics and more for this podcast.

Listeners per Episode
Gender Skew
Location
Interests
Professions
Age Range
Household Income
Social Media Reach

Frequently Asked Questions About Smarter Food Safety

What is Smarter Food Safety about and what kind of topics does it cover?

Content centers on food safety policy, technology, and practical industry applications. Across recent episodes, topics include AI for prevention and risk prediction in the food chain, data sharing and governance for scalable safety solutions, environmental monitoring, regulatory perspectives, and public-private collaboration. Notable is the consistent pairing of high-profile policy figures and technical experts with a focus on actionable steps and real-world implementation, plus sponsorship from a major safety partner that underscores the show's practitioner tilt. This combination makes it valuable for listeners seeking rigorous, evidence-based discussions and concrete takeaways to improve safety culture, operations, and compliance in their... more

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Which podcasts are similar to Smarter Food Safety?

These podcasts share a similar audience with Smarter Food Safety:

1. Food Safety Matters
2. The 7
3. A Bit of Optimism
4. The Mel Robbins Podcast
5. Coaching for Leaders

How many episodes of Smarter Food Safety are there?

Smarter Food Safety launched 5 months ago and published 12 episodes to date. You can find more information about this podcast including rankings, audience demographics and engagement in our podcast database.

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What guests have appeared on Smarter Food Safety?

Recent guests on Smarter Food Safety include:

1. Brenda Goodman
2. Dr. Phil Bremer
3. Marcel Zwietering
4. Sophie Attwood
5. Bill Marler
6. Dr. Elliott Grant
7. Martin Wiedmann
8. Mindy Brashears

To view more recent guests and their details, simply upgrade your Rephonic account. You'll also get access to a typical guest profile to help you decide if the show is worth pitching.

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