Ep. 93. Omar Oyarzabal: Defining Food Safety

Omar Oyarzabal, Ph.D., D.V.M., is an Extension associate professor and food safety specialist at the University of Vermont. He is a lead instructor for HACCP FSMA - Preventive Controls for Human Food, and Sprout Safety Alliance training. He is also a Certified HACCP Auditor and has taught food safety, bioinformatics, biostatistics, microbial risk assessment and management, and introductory HACCP classes for more than 15 years.

Omar's research expertise is the identification, typing, and control of foodborne pathogens, with emphasis on Campylobacter. Omar has worked for the National Food Processors Association, Neogen Corporation, Auburn University (associate professor, Department of Poultry Science), Alabama State University (associate professor, Ph.D. Program in Microbiology), and IEH Laboratories and Consulting Group. He received his Ph.D. in microbiology and food safety from Auburn University and his D.V.M. from the National University of Rio in Argentina.

In this episode of Food Safety Matters, we speak to Omar [22:54] about:

• Why the definition of food safety matters
• How the definition of food safety has evolved
• Is there a “best” definition of food safety?
• The influence of consumers on food safety, food labeling, and food marketing
• How adopting a common definition streamlines food safety training
• Understanding “hazard” versus “risk”
• Food safety versus food quality
• Do we need a “one-size-fits-all” definition of food safety?
• What impacts someone’s sense of what food safety means?

We also speak to Gary Ades, President of G&L Consulting and Chairperson of the Food Safety Summit’s Educational Advisory Board about this year’s conference. [14:25]

News and Resources

Researchers Study How Much Peanut Protein Those with Allergies Can Tolerate [3:02]

FDA Releases Results of 2019 Food Safety and Nutrition Survey Report [5:58]

Global Food Safety Culture Series: Asia. Live April 27, 2021

Register for Food Safety Summit May 11-13, 2021

Articles and References from Omar Oyarzabal

Perception of Food Safety by Food Manufacturers and Food Safety Professionals, March 5, 2019

The Meaning of Food Safety, April 2020

The Complexity of Defining Food Safety, January 2021

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