Sponsored by:

Complimentary Virtual Event

December 16, 2021 | 12:00 PM - 2:30 PM ET

Food Safety Hazards Series:

Physical Hazards

Recalls as a result of foreign material contamination have increased—for reasons that include higher regulatory scrutiny, increased automation in food plants and more effective technology that aids in detection. Foreign materials—plastic, rubber, bone, wood, metal, glass, cardboard—can be introduced into a product via many routes, including raw materials, employee error, equipment maintenance and cleaning procedures, or machinery malfunction or breakage during manufacturing and packaging processes.

This virtual event will discuss the current landscape of foreign matter contamination in food products and strategies companies should implement to prevent and detect foreign materials.

Learning Objectives:

Managing physical contamination in food products
Challenges associated with identifying foreign matter in food products
Action plan when product contamination occurs
Technology solutions that can help detect foreign materials

Who Should Attend:

Quality assurance/quality control
Risk manager
Food safety compliance
Food laboratory
Regulatory

AGENDA

12:00 pm - 12:05 pm - Welcome and Introductions
Maria Fontanazza, Editor-in-Chief, Food Safety Tech

12:05 pm - 12:35 pm - Foreign Matter Contamination: A Look at Recalls
Shawn Stevens, Food Industry Counsel, LLC

12:35 pm - 1:15 pm - Managing Physical Contamination and How to Respond to a Contamination Event
Casey Gallimore, Director, Regulatory & Scientific Affairs, North American Institute

1:20 pm - 2:05 pm - Using Technology for Foreign Materials Detection: A Food Company Perspective
Chris Sawyer, Director, Continuous Improvement, Brakebush Brothers

2:05 pm - 2:20 pm - TechTalk sponsored by P&P Optica
Scott Ruttgaizer, Product Manager, P&P Optica

2:20 pm - 2:30 pm - Wrap Up and Program Conclusion

Speakers

Shawn Stevens
Food Safety Consultant & Lawyer
Food Safety Counsel, LLC

Shawn Stevens, the founding member of FIC, is a nationally-recognized food attorney who has dedicated his entire firm to "Going All-In for Food and All-Out for Those Who Produce It." Shawn works closely throughout the U.S. and abroad with food industry clients (including the world’s largest growers, processors, restaurant chains, distributors and grocers) helping them protect their brand by complying with FDA and USDA food safety regulations, reducing food safety risk, managing recalls, and defending high-profile food safety cases. Shawn also speaks regularly to audiences on a wide variety of emerging scientific, technological, regulatory and food safety legal trends, and routinely authors columns for Meatingplace, The National Provisoner and Food Quality and Safety Magazine.

Casey Gallimore
Director, Regulatory & Scientific Affairs
North American Meat Institute

Casey Gallimore serves as a director of regulatory and scientific Affairs at the North American Meat Institute where she provides expertise on a variety of topics including: food safety, HACCP, audit compliance, regulatory issues, processing, and offal products. Prior to joining the Meat Institute, Gallimore spent seven years in the food industry in food safety, quality assurance, and regulatory compliance roles. She has worked in FDA and USDA regulated facilities ranging from chocolate and ingredient manufacturing to portion cut steaks and market hog slaughter. Gallimore earned her Bachelor of Science in Biology from Truman State University, with minors in Chemistry and Justice Systems.

Chris Sawyer
Director, Continuous Improvement
Brakebush Brothers

Chris Sawyer is the Director of Continuous Improvement at Brakebush Brothers Inc, based in Westfield, Wisconsin. In his role, Chris is responsible for maximizing the efficiency and profitability of operations through the application of meat science principles, statistical process data analysis, and six sigma problem-solving, as well as through the implementation of process improvements and lean manufacturing.

Chris has over 20 years of experience in the meat and poultry industry, having progressed through various roles of increasing responsibility, and across multiple sites, in manufacturing quality, research and development/product development, and continuous improvement.

Scott Ruttgaizer
Product Manager
P&P Optica

Scott is the Product Manager at P&P Optica (PPO), based in Waterloo, Ontario, Canada. At PPO, he is responsible for determining the development path of the product based on the needs of the industry and collaboration with various stakeholders. Scott is experienced in the meat industry, with a 13 year career of diverse experiences in Food Safety and Quality Assurance, Operations, Sanitation and Product Development. Scott has a Bachelor of Science in Chemistry and a Bachelor of Education.

Maria Fontanazza
Editor-in-Chief
Food Safety Tech

Maria has more than a decade of experience in journalism, marketing, and communications within the publishing, conferences and medical device industry. She has authored more than 250 articles that have appeared in domestic and international industry publications and has moderated educational sessions and panel discussions at industry events. Maria joins Innovative Publishing from Secant Medical, Inc., where she was the Marketing Communications Manager and Market Research Manager. Maria has a B.A. in Journalism and Mass Communications with a concentration in New Media and Visual Design, and a Minor in Fine Arts, from St. Michael’s College in Colchester, VT.

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