Rephonic
Artwork for Smarter Food Safety

Smarter Food Safety

Frank Yiannas
Food Safety Modernization Act
Food Colorings
FDA
Salmonella
Artificial Intelligence
Food Safety
Foodborne Illness
Hyperactivity
Listeria
Foodborne Illnesses
FSIS
Food Safety Data and Technology
Listeria Monocytogenes
Whole Genome Sequencing
Risk-Based Food Safety
Alphabet / Google X
Food Traceability
FSMA
Lucerne/regulatory Approaches To Listeria
US Food Policy

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 monthlyEpisodes8Founded3 months ago
Number of ListenersCategories
News CommentaryNewsTechnology

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Artwork for Smarter Food Safety

Latest Episodes

In this episode of Smarter Food Safety, we step beyond traditional food safety topics to explore one of the most urgent challenges facing the food system today: nutrition and its role in chronic disease.

I’m joined by Sophie Attwood, PhD, a behavior... more

In this episode, host Frank Yiannas sits down with Bill Marler, one of the most influential figures in food safety litigation. Drawing on more than 30 years of experience, including the Jack in the Box E. coli outbreak, Bill shares what he has learne... more

What if food safety risks could be predicted and prevented before they ever occur?

In this thought-provoking episode of the Smarter Food Safety Podcast, host Frank Yiannas sits down with AI pioneer Dr. Elliott Grant to explore how artificial intell... more

Despite decades of effort, foodborne illness rates have remained largely unchanged. Why has progress stalled, and what will it take to truly bend the curve?

In this episode of Smarter Food Safety, I sit down with Dr. Martin Wiedmann, professor at Co... more

Key Facts

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Recent Guests

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)
Mike Taylor
Former Deputy Commissioner for Food at FDA, often referred to as the architect of FSMA
US FDA
Episode: FSMA at 15: What Worked, What Didn't, & Where Do We Go from Here? | with Mike Taylor

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 12 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 States15 days 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 States2 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.

Talking Points

Recent interactions between the hosts and their guests.

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.
Food Safety Moonshot: Using AI to Strengthen Prevention (with Dr. Elliott Grant)
Q: What are the biggest regulatory or governance concerns with AI in food safety?
Key concerns include interpretability of AI decisions (black-box models), data sharing and privacy, data pooling to improve model learning, and developing a framework where regulators, industry, and technology providers collaborate to create trusted, auditable, and enforceable AI-enabled processes.
Food Safety Moonshot: Using AI to Strengthen Prevention (with Dr. Elliott Grant)
Q: What are practical first steps for a company to begin using AI in food safety?
Start with small, low-risk projects to learn how AI tools perform on real data, digitize data collection, and implement pilot use cases that answer concrete safety or quality questions (e.g., verifying date printing with a vision system). Build internal capability and data quality practices before attempting larger, more complex deployments.
The Frenzy Over Food Colorings – Real or Perceived Risks? (with Dave Schoneker)
Q: What advice do you have for consumers hearing about the risks associated with food colorings?
Consumers should rely on credible science and not misinformation, understanding that switching to natural colors could significantly raise costs without improving safety.

Audience Metrics

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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. The Curiosity Shop with Brené Brown and Adam Grant
2. ReThinking
3. Food Safety Matters
4. Coaching Real Leaders
5. Wait Wait... Don't Tell Me!

How many episodes of Smarter Food Safety are there?

Smarter Food Safety launched 3 months ago and published 8 episodes to date. You can find more information about this podcast including rankings, audience demographics and engagement in our podcast database.

How do I contact Smarter Food Safety?

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What guests have appeared on Smarter Food Safety?

Recent guests on Smarter Food Safety include:

1. Dr. Elliott Grant
2. Martin Wiedmann
3. Mindy Brashears
4. Dave Schoneker
5. Mike Taylor

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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