🍽️ Francine and Matt are building a global, fun, and inclusive Food Safety Family! From the C-suite to the kitchen, they’re making safe food the norm everywhere.
👉 Follow Francine and Matt on LinkedIn for more food safety insights and updates.
In this episode of Don’t Eat Poop!, our hosts Matt and Francine are looking back before they look forward in this new year.
They are unpacking an article from February 2025 that shares some worrisome stats about foodborne illness, outbreaks, hospitalizations, and deaths from contaminated food in 2024, all of which increased significantly from the previous year.
In this episode:
0:00:00 When distances are relative
0:07:07 A recap of food recalls in 2024
0:13:43 Key findings on foodborne illnesses
0:18:06 If you don't test for it, it's not there
Tune back in next week for the episode where our hosts talk about the article on how the government is looking to shut down some key food safety acts and rules.
Disclaimer: Episode title and content do not constitute legal or health advice.
Resources from this episode
Read the Food for Thought 2025 article Matt and Francine refer to in this episode.
Correction: chickens fly at 175 birds per minute, not 175 miles per hour, in US poultry processing plants. You can learn more about these worrisome speeds on Episode 110.
As for the acceptable levels of Salmonella in poultry, you can check out Episode 144.
For a Recap of 2024’s Major Outbreaks with Bill Marler, listen to Episode 92, and for one of the major outbreaks from the first half of 2025, catch up with Episode 129.
Hear more about what it's like to get listeria and survive it in the gut-wrenching Episode 122.
Learn the basics of the ByHeart Infant Botulism Outbreak linked to their baby formula, check out Episode 147.
Noteworthy quotes from this episode
“ If we're looking at why 13 [outbreaks] accounted for 98% of the hospitalizations and deaths. It's because 22% of the recalls came from Listeria. That is crazy.” – Matt Regusci
“ It's mind-boggling that they are shutting down food safety programs one after another, agencies, and just different things throughout the course of the year, and foodborne illnesses are increasing.” – Francine L Shaw
We hope you enjoy this episode!
Remember to subscribe, rate, and review the podcast on your favorite podcast platform. Together, we can raise awareness and make a positive impact in the world of food safety!
Share your thoughts and feedback on the show, and feel free to offer any topics you would like to hear discussed.
We'd love to hear from you!
📲 Connect with Francine, Matt, and the "Don't Eat Poop!" show on LinkedIn!
📕 Check out Francine's book Who Watches the Kitchen?
🎙️ BE A GUEST ON DON’T EAT POOP!
Fill out this form to tell us more about yourself. We’ll reach out via email within 30 days with next steps if you’re selected.
_______
Produced by Ideablossoms
🍽️ Francine and Matt are building a global, fun, and inclusive Food Safety Family! From the C-suite to the kitchen, they’re making safe food the norm everywhere.
👉 Follow Francine and Matt on LinkedIn for more food safety insights and updates.
In this episode of Don’t Eat Poop!, our hosts Matt and Francine are unpacking what's shaping up to be one of the worst outbreaks of 2025: the ByHeart Infant Botulism Outbreak linked to their baby formula, previously Clean Label Project (CLP) certified.
There have been other cases over the years, and, unfortunately, this just happens to be the most recent one. We need to find a way to curb this.
That's why our hosts are sharing not only the details of this international outbreak, but also possible solutions and straightforward practices that food producers can implement to effectively prevent outbreaks.
In this episode:
0:01:07 What CLP does and doesn't test for and why
0:10:48 How Matt helped companies through outbreaks
0:15:27 How the industry can truly prevent outbreaks
0:23:23 How to ensure your product is pathogen-free
0:26:42 Why baby formula standards must be stricter
0:39:30 One of the worst outbreaks of 2025
Disclaimer: Episode title and content do not constitute legal or health advice.
Resources from this episode
Learn all about Clean Label Project in our interview with Jaclyn Bowen, the previous Executive Director, in Episode 101.
Stay up-to-date on this outbreak here.
Read Bill Marler's article on Operation Stork Speed.
Noteworthy quotes from this episode
“ The only 100% way that you are not going to get somebody pregnant or an STD is: don't have sex. For the advice for the industry, the only way to be 100% sure that you are not going to have pathogens in your product is to test them all. ” – Matt Regusci
“ This isn't the only case. [...] This just happens to be the most current. Now we're giving [babies] poisoned food, and it's the only food they're receiving. It's detrimental, and we need to find a way to curb this.” – Francine L Shaw
We hope you enjoy this episode!
Remember to subscribe, rate, and review the podcast on your favorite podcast platform. Together, we can raise awareness and make a positive impact in the world of food safety!
Share your thoughts and feedback on the show, and feel free to offer any topics you would like to hear discussed.
We'd love to hear from you!
📲 Connect with Francine, Matt, and the "Don't Eat Poop!" show on LinkedIn!
📕 Check out Francine's book Who Watches the Kitchen?
🎙️ BE A GUEST ON DON’T EAT POOP!
Fill out this form to tell us more about yourself. We’ll reach out via email within 30 days with next steps if you’re selected.
_______
Produced by Ideablossoms
🍽️ Francine and Matt are building a global, fun, and inclusive Food Safety Family! From the C-suite to the kitchen, they’re making safe food the norm everywhere.
👉 Follow Francine and Matt on LinkedIn for more food safety insights and updates.
In this episode of Don’t Eat Poop!, our hosts Matt and Francine are once again trying to convince you not to kill your loved ones over the holidays.
Since last year's episode may not have been enough, they're back this year with ways to protect your family from foodborne illness this holiday season.
Tune in to a chaotic episode that's full of life and gratitude, our hosts' unique sense of humor in full force, a boatload of pre-travel anxiety, and some crazy food safety stories.
Disclaimer: If you're a social worker working with CPS or foster care and you end up listening to this, please do not take what Matt's saying at face value. He is indeed joking and/or being sarcastic.
In this episode:
0:00:00 Holiday plans and flying with a family of 15
0:11:14 A rough year and a shout-out from Francine
0:13:05 Thermometers, wipes, and sleeping aids
0:17:02 Holiday food safety fails and how to avoid them
Disclaimer: Episode title and content do not constitute legal or health advice.
Resources from this episode
To learn more about the woman who tried to kill her ex’s family with Beef Wellington, catch up with Episode 38 | Don’t Cook Salmon in the Dishwasher!
Want to read the story about the turkey that flew during Thanksgiving and other captivating, crazy food safety stories? Make sure to check out Francine's book Who Watches the Kitchen?
Read our complete guide on How to Not Kill Your Family Over the Holidays.
Noteworthy quotes from this episode
“ I bet that stuffing was absolutely amazing, sitting there permeating in all the juices overnight. [...] So, you taste all the other flavors, but not salmonella. You taste all the other flavors coming back up again after you get salmonella.” – Matt Regusci
“ I got the flu a lot at Thanksgiving when I was a kid. [...] When I say the flu, we all know the flu now isn't vomiting and diarrhea.” – Francine L Shaw
We hope you enjoy this episode!
Remember to subscribe, rate, and review the podcast on your favorite podcast platform. Together, we can raise awareness and make a positive impact in the world of food safety!
Share your thoughts and feedback on the show, and feel free to offer any topics you would like to hear discussed.
We'd love to hear from you!
📲 Connect with Francine, Matt, and the "Don't Eat Poop!" show on LinkedIn!
📕 Check out Francine's book Who Watches the Kitchen?
🎙️ BE A GUEST ON DON’T EAT POOP!
Fill out this form to tell us more about yourself. We’ll reach out via email within 30 days with next steps if you’re selected.
_______
Produced by Ideablossoms
🍽️ Francine and Matt are building a global, fun, and inclusive Food Safety Family! From the C-suite to the kitchen, they’re making safe food the norm everywhere.
👉 Follow Francine and Matt on LinkedIn for more food safety insights and updates.
In this episode of Don’t Eat Poop!, our hosts Matt and Francine are talking about a bill introduced to the Senate earlier this year, the “Direct Interstate Retail Exemption for Certain Transactions Act of 2025.”
This DIRECT Act would allow direct-to-consumer online sales of state-inspected meat and poultry across state lines.
Tune in as our hosts unpack the proposed legislative changes, the potential benefits, and what it would mean for the USDA, as well as the possible food safety risks, traceability issues, and other challenges.
In this episode:
0:06:17 Breaking down the DIRECT Act
0:14:33 Will traceability get better?
0:17:37 USDA vs. State inspections and exemptions
0:23:33 Will enforcement be stronger?
27:05 The big issue with the current consolidation
30:5 Where our meat imports come from
Disclaimer: Episode title and content do not constitute legal or health advice.
Resources from this episode
Read the Food Safety News article Matt and Francine refer to in this episode.
Hear the new and exciting things over at Food Safety News on Episode 143.
Catch up with the Pre-Made Pasta Meals Listeria outbreak with Episode 141.
Learn all about how fast the chickens fly at a poultry plant with Episode 110, as well as how upset the poultry industry is over a salmonella-filled report with Episode 144.
Noteworthy quotes from this episode
“This is a chink against not just the USDA's armor of the monopoly, but it's also a chink against the top meat producers in their monopoly armor. They don't want small meat companies competing against them. Not at all.” – Matt Regusci
“ I'm all about helping the smaller farmers, the smaller businesses. I am all about doing whatever we can do to support them. I live in an area that that is what we are. But we need to make sure that we do it safely.” – Francine L Shaw
We hope you enjoy this episode!
Remember to subscribe, rate, and review the podcast on your favorite podcast platform. Together, we can raise awareness and make a positive impact in the world of food safety!
Share your thoughts and feedback on the show, and feel free to offer any topics you would like to hear discussed.
We'd love to hear from you!
📲 Connect with Francine, Matt, and the "Don't Eat Poop!" show on LinkedIn!
📕 Check out Francine's book Who Watches the Kitchen?
🎙️ BE A GUEST ON DON’T EAT POOP!
Fill out this form to tell us more about yourself. We’ll reach out via email within 30 days with next steps if you’re selected.
_______
Produced by Ideablossoms
🍽️ Francine and Matt are building a global, fun, and inclusive Food Safety Family! From the C-suite to the kitchen, they’re making safe food the norm everywhere.
👉 Follow Francine and Matt on LinkedIn for more food safety insights and updates.
In this episode of Don’t Eat Poop!, our hosts Matt and Francine are, unfortunately, talking once more about poultry and salmonella.
They are unpacking the concerning Farm Forward Salmonella and Foodborne Disease Report released in October 2025. The results showed elevated levels of salmonella contamination in grocery store poultry samples.
Tune in to discover why poultry-related salmonella infections persist in the US, including how USDA standards fall short, the industry pushback, and what can be done to reverse this situation.
In this episode:
0:00:00 The report that found salmonella in poultry
0:09:47 The unmet USDA salmonella contamination limits
0:11:58 How poultry should follow other industries' standards
0:17:56 Lessons from the US beef industry and the EU
0:22:09 The safe temperature to cook poultry
Disclaimer: Episode title and content do not constitute legal or health advice.
Resources from this episode
Read the LA Times article Matt and Francine refer to in this episode and the original Farm Forward Report.
Francine's LinkedIn Post with a picture of turkey packaging that showed improper handling procedures.
Just in case you need a refresher on how to safely handle poultry, catch up with Episode 73 | Don’t Wash Your Chicken, Seriously.
Watch Bill Marler and Dr. Darin Detwiler’s Emmy award-winning documentary, Poisoned: The Dirty Truth About Your Food.
Noteworthy quotes from this episode
“ While I'm not for ending commercial chicken farming, I am for ending salmonella in one-third or over 400,000 of the cases annually in consumers. You can be for commercial farming and also against poisoning people.” – Matt Regusci
“ For the industry to take this attitude is just, I believe, irresponsible on their part. It shows, in my opinion, just a total lack of disregard for consumers because they've got the ability to correct it. They're choosing not to [deal with salmonella].” – Francine L Shaw
We hope you enjoy this episode!
Remember to subscribe, rate, and review the podcast on your favorite podcast platform. Together, we can raise awareness and make a positive impact in the world of food safety!
Share your thoughts and feedback on the show, and feel free to offer any topics you would like to hear discussed.
We'd love to hear from you!
📲 Connect with Francine, Matt, and the "Don't Eat Poop!" show on LinkedIn!
📕 Check out Francine's book Who Watches the Kitchen?
🎙️ BE A GUEST ON DON’T EAT POOP!
Fill out this form to tell us more about yourself. We’ll reach out via email within 30 days with next steps if you’re selected.
_______
Produced by Ideablossoms
🍽️ Francine and Matt are building a global, fun, and inclusive Food Safety Family! From the C-suite to the kitchen, they’re making safe food the norm everywhere.
👉 Follow Francine and Matt on LinkedIn for more food safety insights and updates.
In this episode of Don’t Eat Poop!, our hosts Matt and Francine are joined by two special guests: Bill Marler, who you already know as the nation's leading foodborne illness attorney, and his wonderful son-in-law, Peter Gustafson.
But this isn't a family reunion; they are here to share some very exciting news about Food Safety News (FSN), the online newspaper that has been keeping everyone who cares about the safety of our food supply informed about critical food safety concerns for the past 16 years.
For all those years, Bill alone funded the publication, but that is not sustainable. Thankfully, Peter recently joined the team as a Fractional Executive Director of FSN, and they're figuring out how to change that.
Tune in to discover the future of FSN and the changes that will allow it to not only outlast Bill, but to take the food safety journalism we know and love to the next level.
In this episode:
0:05:58 The history and evolution of FSN
0:11:47 The importance of making FSN self-sustaining
0:19:48 The 1st solution: Google Ads and nonprofit status
0:22:50 The age of AI and the need for a new solution
0:26:27 What the new FSN+ membership will look like
0:31:43 Becoming sustainable to go above and beyond
Resources from this episode
Be one of the first to become an FSN+ member and lock in the founding member pricing at foodsafetynews.com/membership.
Read some deep Bill Marler angst in the Marler Blog.
Read Francine's opinion pieces in Food Safety News through the years.
Check out the Food Safety News Merch Store.
Catch up with past Bill Marler Don't Eat Poop! episodes:
Noteworthy quotes from this episode
“ It's not a desire to cut back. It's a desire to build. It's a desire to make something sustainable, better, and more useful for the food safety public.” – Bill Marler
“I think this year we're averaging just over 400,000 page views per month, whereas last year we averaged 1.6 million pages per month [...] So as you can imagine, that [FSN's ad] revenue came down quite a bit.” – Peter Gustafson
We hope you enjoy this episode!
Remember to subscribe, rate, and review the podcast on your favorite podcast platform. Together, we can raise awareness and make a positive impact in the world of food safety!
Share your thoughts and feedback on the show, and feel free to offer any topics you would like to hear discussed.
We'd love to hear from you!
📲 Connect with Bill, Peter, Francine, Matt, and the "Don't Eat Poop!" show on LinkedIn!
📕 Check out Francine's book Who Watches the Kitchen?
🎙️ BE A GUEST ON DON’T EAT POOP!
Fill out this form to tell us more about yourself. We’ll reach out via email within 30 days with next steps if you’re selected.
_______
Produced by Ideablossoms
🍽️ Francine and Matt are building a global, fun, and inclusive Food Safety Family! From the C-suite to the kitchen, they’re making safe food the norm everywhere.
👉 Follow Francine and Matt on LinkedIn for more food safety insights and updates.
In this episode of Don’t Eat Poop!, our hosts Matt and Francine are joined by Melody Ge, the Founder of Women in Food Safety and Chief Technical Officer at EAGLE Certification Group, straight from the Food Safety Consortium 2025.
They've been wanting to have Melody on the show for years, and it's finally worked out. There's a cumulative 70 years of experience among them in this episode, and you'll hear the stories that come along with it.
Learn more about the 5-year-old Women in Food Safety community, which has recently become a full-fledged nonprofit. Get the lay of the land in the food safety auditing world, learn what's missing, and discover how Melody, who has been both an auditor and an auditee, and her team at EAGLE are working to change that reality.
In this episode:
0:00:00 Melody’s 20-year career path
0:04:04 Growing Women in Food Safety
0:07:40 The biggest challenge for food safety pros
0:12:43 Food safety audit industry issues
0:15:53 Solutions for auditing, and the industry's future
0:31:45 How to help pipeline future good auditors
0:40:52 Melody's Food Safety Consortium reflections
Disclaimer: Episode title and content do not constitute legal or health advice.
Resources from this episode
Learn more about and join the Women in Food Safety through their LinkedIn or website.
Noteworthy quotes from this episode
“ Regardless, it's either the auditee or the auditor. We all want food safety. This is a common goal, and I never doubted that before. It's the approach and the position we're in [that are] very different. So, how can we help each other and make the most value out of it?” – Melody Ge
We hope you enjoy this episode!
Remember to subscribe, rate, and review the podcast on your favorite podcast platform. Together, we can raise awareness and make a positive impact in the world of food safety!
Share your thoughts and feedback on the show, and feel free to offer any topics you would like to hear discussed.
We'd love to hear from you!
📲 Connect with Melody, Francine, Matt, and the "Don't Eat Poop!" show on LinkedIn!
📕 Check out Francine's book Who Watches the Kitchen?
🎙️ BE A GUEST ON DON’T EAT POOP!
Fill out this form to tell us more about yourself. We’ll reach out via email within 30 days with next steps if you’re selected.
_______
Produced by Ideablossoms
🍽️ Francine and Matt are building a global, fun, and inclusive Food Safety Family! From the C-suite to the kitchen, they’re making safe food the norm everywhere.
👉 Follow Francine and Matt on LinkedIn for more food safety insights and updates.
In this episode of Don’t Eat Poop!, our hosts Matt and Francine are, unfortunately, talking about a deadly multi-state Listeria outbreak… again. This time, the culprit is surprisingly hiding in pasta.
Tune in as they break down the recent outbreak, which has a 26% death rate, and has led to recalls of pre-made pasta meals across stores, including Walmart, Kroger, and Trader Joe's.
Discover the only way to fix Listeria, what foodborne illnesses truly mean for their victims, and how outrageously our government and institutions have been handling these realities.
In this episode:
0:00:00 A deadly and unexpected Listeria outbreak in pasta
0:15:18 Victims aren't getting the information they need
0:18:41 The only solution for Listeira, food safety's #1 enemy
0:21:17 The harsh realities and ugly effects of foodborne illnesses
0:25:10 The stories of the victims that hit our hosts the hardest
0:30:15 The government's mantra: "We ignore it, so it goes away"
Disclaimer: Episode title and content do not constitute legal or health advice.
Resources from this episode
Check out the Food Safety News article our hosts are referring to, "More deaths reported in Listeria outbreak linked to pre-made pasta meals."
Watch Dr. Darin Detwiler and Bill Marler’s Emmy award-winning documentary, Poisoned: The Dirty Truth About Your Food.
Catch up with Episode 122, where we learn the story of a man who survived Listeriosis but lost everything else.
Noteworthy quotes from this episode
“ Listeria is a big deal, and the only way to fix Listeria is having a food safety culture that allows you to test for this and really find and destroy this bug. This is the enemy, and every single facility in the world needs to view Listeria as the number one enemy.” – Matt Regusci
“ We're never gonna stop all of the foodborne illnesses. That's impossible. But they can certainly be minimized, and that's what's so frustrating, is none of them have to happen, but they're all preventable. Nobody should ever die from eating food.” – Francine L Shaw
We hope you enjoy this episode!
Remember to subscribe, rate, and review the podcast on your favorite podcast platform. Together, we can raise awareness and make a positive impact in the world of food safety!
Share your thoughts and feedback on the show, and feel free to offer any topics you would like to hear discussed.
We'd love to hear from you!
📲 Connect with Francine, Matt, and the "Don't Eat Poop!" show on LinkedIn!
📕 Check out Francine's book Who Watches the Kitchen?
🎙️ BE A GUEST ON DON’T EAT POOP!
Fill out this form to tell us more about yourself. We’ll reach out via email within 30 days with next steps if you’re selected.
_______
Produced by Ideablossoms
🔒 Food safety isn’t one-size-fits-all, and DeVere Chemical gets that. Their team of food safety specialists brings real-world experience and even offers customized training for your plant.
From tough soils to pathogen control, DeVere’s cleaners, sanitizers, and support keep your facility safe, efficient, and always audit-ready.
Learn more here: DeVere Chemical
-------------------
🍽️ Francine and Matt are building a global, fun, and inclusive Food Safety Family! From the C-suite to the kitchen, they’re making safe food the norm everywhere.
👉 Follow Francine and Matt on LinkedIn for more food safety insights and updates.
It's that time of year again! In this episode of Don’t Eat Poop!, our hosts, Matt and Francine, have just returned from the Food Safety Consortium (FSC) 2025 and are sharing all about their experience among the best people in the food safety industry.
In this recap, you'll hear about why the FSC is the best food safety conference for networking, how the Consortium has shaped Matt and Francine's careers and podcast through the years, why they recorded fewer interviews this time around, and more.
Celebrate the podcast's recent #1 spot in its category on iHeartRadio, and regenerate your faith in the industry after this episode.
In this episode:
0:00:00 The best food safety conference for networking
0:04:25 What to expect from this year's interviews
0:10:43 Our sense of humor and negative reviews
0:14:53 What makes the FSC powerful and unique
0:20:57 Learning from food safety powerhouses
Disclaimer: Episode title and content do not constitute legal or health advice.
Resources from this episode
Stay up to date on all things Food Safety Consortium for next year’s edition here. Use the code POOP for a discount when you register.
Catch up with the two FSC 2025 interviews that are already live:
Learn more about Rick Biros, the mastermind behind the FSC, on Episode 123.
Connect with food safety powerhouse, Charray Williams, and catch up with our interview with her son, Tyler Williams, CEO of ASI Food Safety, in Episode 48.
Noteworthy quotes from this episode
“[Food Safety Consortium] has to be the best conference in terms of networking [...] because so much stuff in our career has literally happened for the networking at the Food Safety Consortium.” – Matt Regusci
“ It's there [in the Food Safety Consortium]. It's done in the open, and it just looks like a few people sitting there having a normal conversation, and that's what it is. And we're actually recording podcast episodes, which is really fun. I enjoy it.” – Francine L Shaw
We hope you enjoy this episode!
Remember to subscribe, rate, and review the podcast on your favorite podcast platform. Together, we can raise awareness and make a positive impact in the world of food safety!
Share your thoughts and feedback on the show, and feel free to offer any topics you would like to hear discussed.
We'd love to hear from you!
📲 Connect with Francine, Matt, and the "Don't Eat Poop!" show on LinkedIn!
📕 Check out Francine's book Who Watches the Kitchen?
🎙️ BE A GUEST ON DON’T EAT POOP!
Fill out this form to tell us more about yourself. We’ll reach out via email within 30 days with next steps if you’re selected.
_______
Produced by Ideablossoms
🔒 Food safety isn’t one-size-fits-all, and DeVere Chemical gets that. Their team of food safety specialists brings real-world experience and even offers customized training for your plant.
From tough soils to pathogen control, DeVere’s cleaners, sanitizers, and support keep your facility safe, efficient, and always audit-ready.
Learn more here: DeVere Chemical
In this episode of Don’t Eat Poop!, our hosts, Matt and Francine, are joined by some old friends: food safety icon and advocate Dr. Darin Detwiler and his data analyst wife and co-host of the Confessions of a Food Safety A**Hole Podcast, Gennette Zimmer.
Straight from the Food Safety Consortium 2025, you'll hear all about Dr. Darin and Gennette's new binge-worthy podcast in this laugh-out-loud crossover episode.
Between stories of speaking up for food safety, submarine service, band camp, podcast creation, and lots of laughter, this episode explores how being a food safety a**hole might actually be a badge of honor.
Get ready to see a new side of Dr. Darin that doesn't show up in a magazine or on stage, and to officially meet his partner in business and in life, the witty storyteller, Gennette.
In this episode:
💩 [01:34] A food safety a**hole, his conflict-averse wife, and their podcast
💩 [06:05] Poisoned, the Emmy award-winning documentary
💩 [07:40] How Confessions is genuine, fun, and very binge-worthy
💩 [10:14] Being food safety a**holes and the stories that don't make it on stage
💩 [16:50] Times when speaking up for food safety went right or wrong
💩 [20:03] When Gennette found out what she was getting herself into
💩 [25:58] How they make it work together both personally and professionally
💩 [31:25] Dr. Darin's life on a nuclear submarine versus his life now
💩 [38:18] Twice irradiated submarine food and a radioactive prank
💩 [40:17] What we can expect from Confessions as it evolves
💩 [43:23] Two similar yet so very different food safety podcasts
💩 [44:59] How our podcasts started and how they're going
💩 [49:05] Dr. Darin and Gennette's favorite thing about the FSC 2025
💩 [51:21] What could make the Food Safety Consortium even better
Disclaimer: Episode title and content do not constitute legal or health advice.
Resources from this episode
Listen to the Confessions of a Food Safety A**Hole at foodsafetyahole.com
Catch up with previous Don't Eat Poop! episodes with Dr. Darin Detwiler, starting with Episode 106, where you’ll find the links to the other ones as well.
Watch Dr. Darin Detwiler and Bill Marler’s Emmy award-winning documentary, Poisoned: The Dirty Truth About Your Food.
Hear more about Dr. Darin's life on a nuclear submarine on Episode 5 of Confessions of a Food Safety A**Hole.
Learn more about irradiated food on Episode 133 | Food Irradiation May Be On Its Way to Being Widely Adopted in the US.
Noteworthy quotes from this episode
“While there's this flip of a coin 50/50, whether I go into saying something, whether they're gonna treat me as an a**hole or thank me, I also know that if I don't say anything, then I'm 100% the a**hole.” – Dr. Darin Detwiler
“ You generally are treated like an a**hole if they don't care. If they don't know, they're usually very appreciative of it, or it didn't cross their mind [...], that kind of thing. But if they go on the defensive, it's usually that they don't care.” – Gennette Zimmer
We hope you enjoy this episode!
Remember to subscribe, rate, and review the podcast on your favorite podcast platform. Together, we can raise awareness and make a positive impact in the world of food safety!
Share your thoughts and feedback on the show, and feel free to offer any topics you would like to hear discussed.
We'd love to hear from you!
📲 Connect with Dr. Darin, Gennette, Francine, Matt, and the "Don't Eat Poop!" show on LinkedIn!
📕 Check out Francine's book Who Watches the Kitchen?
🎙️ BE A GUEST ON DON’T EAT POOP!
Fill out this form to tell us more about yourself. We’ll reach out via email within 30 days with next steps if you’re selected.
_______
Produced by Ideablossoms
🔒 Food safety isn’t one-size-fits-all, and DeVere Chemical gets that. Their team of food safety specialists brings real-world experience and even offers customized training for your plant.
From tough soils to pathogen control, DeVere’s cleaners, sanitizers, and support keep your facility safe, efficient, and always audit-ready.
Learn more here: DeVere Chemical
In this episode of Don’t Eat Poop!, our hosts Matt and Francine are joined by Monica Pancare, CP-FS. a veteran environmental health food inspector, straight from the Food Safety Consortium 2025.
She brings a unique perspective, having been around food safety from its inception and having been involved on both sides of the industry, first in operations and now as an inspector.
Joined by Francine, they commiserate about how things were in the late 1970s and 1980s, what has changed, and the trials and tribulations of being the one who watches the kitchen.
In this episode:
💩 [01:15] Meet Monica Pancare, a veteran of the food safety industry
💩 [02:31] Gloves, questionable 1970s practices, and the origin of ServSafe
💩 [05:27] What we didn't know in the 1980s and Marriott Hotels' food safety
💩 [08:51] Monica's pivot to an environmental health food inspector role
💩 [10:14] The benefits for an inspector of starting out in operations
💩 [12:39] Defining which establishments are high risk or low risk
💩 [15:46] The craziest violation Monica's ever seen
💩 [18:09] Francine and Monica's experiences with pests, upsets, and threats
💩 [21:24] What happens when Monica finds big problems in an establishment
💩 [24:42] If the bathrooms are clean, is the rest of the establishment clean?
💩 [25:54] The difference between a training issue and a procedural one
💩 [28:59] What to look for in a restaurant as a consumer
💩 [31:23] Why Monica chose to attend the Food Safety Consortium
Disclaimer: Episode title and content do not constitute legal or health advice.
Resources from this episode
For a whole retelling of Francine's craziest stories from her time as a health inspector, check out Francine's book Who Watches the Kitchen?
Noteworthy quotes from this episode
“ Knowledge is power. Knowledge is key. I believe that you always need to keep your finger on the pulse and really have a good, strong knowledge of what's out there in the industry as it changes.” – Monica Pancare
We hope you enjoy this episode!
Remember to subscribe, rate, and review the podcast on your favorite podcast platform. Together, we can raise awareness and make a positive impact in the world of food safety!
Share your thoughts and feedback on the show, and feel free to offer any topics you would like to hear discussed.
We'd love to hear from you!
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Fill out this form to tell us more about yourself. We’ll reach out via email within 30 days with next steps if you’re selected.
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✨ Consistency is key in food safety, and DeVere Chemical helps you deliver it every time. From front-of-house cleaning to back-of-house floor and dish care, their simple, proven solutions keep operations running smoothly.
Learn more about how DeVere makes food safety easier: DeVere Chemical
In this episode of Don’t Eat Poop!, our hosts Matt and Francine are joined by Ryan Dunn, the Vice President of Sales at DeVere Chemical, our official sponsor.
They talk about how sanitizing is key when it comes to ensuring food safety, but having the best sanitizers in the market or the best training around will never be enough if there isn't a strong culture of safety in place.
Because they know that cultural change starts at the top, they share practical advice that food safety leaders can start implementing right away to turn the existing culture around, making safety the number one priority from upper management to the plant floor.
In this episode:
💩 [01:42] Get to know Ryan Dunn and his serendipitous journey to DeVere
💩 [05:52] How each training is 100% unique to the client at DeVere
💩 [08:24] Real results: from multiple violations to a culture of safety
💩 [12:38] How to convince leadership to invest in food safety
💩 [16:09] When a whole shift quit instead of taking the training
💩 [17:07] Resistance to change starts at the top
💩 [20:10] A simple mindset shift that can change the way we lead
💩 [23:35] 4 leadership lessons to build a strong food safety culture
💩 [31:00] A tool to find out what your crew needs and wants
💩 [32:07] The power of managing each individual as their own person
💩 [33:50] Make sure to meet Ryan at the next industry conference
Disclaimer: Episode title and content do not constitute legal or health advice.
Resources from this episode
Learn more about how DeVere Chemical can take your operation's food safety to the next level at deverechemical.com.
Noteworthy quotes from this episode
" We've taken the personality out of management. I think people just feel disconnected. I hear it all the time. They're disconnected from their relationships with their leaders, and their leaders are disconnected with their crew." – Ryan Dunn
We hope you enjoy this episode!
Remember to subscribe, rate, and review the podcast on your favorite podcast platform. Together, we can raise awareness and make a positive impact in the world of food safety!
Share your thoughts and feedback on the show, and feel free to offer any topics you would like to hear discussed.
We'd love to hear from you!
📲 Connect with Ryan, Francine, Matt, and the "Don't Eat Poop!" show on LinkedIn!
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Fill out this form to tell us more about yourself. We’ll reach out via email within 30 days with next steps if you’re selected.
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Produced by Ideablossoms
✨ Consistency is key in food safety, and DeVere Chemical helps you deliver it every time. From front-of-house cleaning to back-of-house floor and dish care, their simple, proven solutions keep operations running smoothly.
Learn more about how DeVere makes food safety easier: DeVere Chemical
In this episode of Don’t Eat Poop!, our hosts Matt and Francine are joined by Alex O'Brien, the Dairy Safety & Quality Coordinator at the Center for Dairy Research, also known as the Wisconsin cheese food safety guy.
Milk safety has been a recurring topic on the podcast, especially given the growing demand for raw milk, but this is the first time the focus has been on cheese itself.
So, tune in to discover how to make cheese safe. You'll learn how the cheese-making process affects its safety, important lessons about environmental monitoring, and how to make raw milk and cheese a little safer.
In this episode:
💩 [01:27] Alex O'Brien's many hats as the Wisconsin cheese food safety guy
💩 [04:46] The factors that make cheese safe, even unrefrigerated
💩 [10:06] How to get high-quality milk even through a crappy milking process
💩 [13:27] What's behind cheese outbreaks post-pasteurization
💩 [16:52] It doesn't take much unpasteurized cheese to make you sick
💩 [18:53] How to ensure cheese plants are safe and some cautionary tales
💩 [25:40] The four different types of food safety people
💩 [28:45] The difference between cleaning and sanitizing
💩 [30:14] When food safety people have a foodborne illness
💩 [32:58] Thermal pasteurization versus UV pasteurization and raw milk
💩 [37:59] How to make raw milk and cheese a little safer and save lives
Disclaimer: Episode title and content do not constitute legal or health advice.
Resources from this episode
Catch up with the episode where we talked to Bob Comstock about his UV-based pasteurization process, Episode 131 | How a Little Sunlight in Your Milk is Going to Profoundly Change the Dairy Industry.
Noteworthy quotes from this episode
“ If you're finding [Listeria] in your environment more than 10% of the time, you have a problem, right? So, I like to emphasize that you want to find it, but if it's so prevalent and you keep finding it in the same spot and you can't figure it out, then it's a problem.” – Alex O'Brien
We hope you enjoy this episode!
Remember to subscribe, rate, and review the podcast on your favorite podcast platform. Together, we can raise awareness and make a positive impact in the world of food safety!
Share your thoughts and feedback on the show, and feel free to offer any topics you would like to hear discussed.
We'd love to hear from you!
📲 Connect with Alex, Francine, Matt, and the "Don't Eat Poop!" show on LinkedIn!
📕 Check out Francine's book Who Watches the Kitchen? on Amazon!
🎙️ BE A GUEST ON DON’T EAT POOP!
Fill out this form to tell us more about yourself. We’ll reach out via email within 30 days with next steps if you’re selected.
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Produced by Ideablossoms
✨ Consistency is key in food safety, and DeVere Chemical helps you deliver it every time. From front-of-house cleaning to back-of-house floor and dish care, their simple, proven solutions keep operations running smoothly.
Learn more about how DeVere makes food safety easier: DeVere Chemical
In this episode of Don’t Eat Poop!, our hosts Matt and Francine have just gotten back from the Food Safety Consortium 2024, and they’re sharing everything while it’s still fresh in their minds.
You will hear all about their experience and their biggest takeaways. You will also be in the know about the amazing interviews they have coming your way.
So, don’t miss this event recap!
This is a replay of Episode 89. In this episode:
💩 [02:46] An exciting start to the Food Safety Consortium 2024
💩 [05:33] The best networking event in food safety
💩 [08:42] The difference being in Washington D.C. made
💩 [10:25] The interviews they did and that are coming your way
💩 [12:24] The Women in Food Safety networking event
💩 [14:48] The sense of community around industry colleagues
💩 [16:49] The missed opportunities of our legal system
💩 [17:58] What you can expect in the upcoming episodes
💩 [18:50] A taste of fame
💩 [19:57] Matt’s and Francine’s biggest takeaways from the Consortium
💩 [22:46] Food safety concerns aren’t the same all over the world
💩 [25:00] Concerns about the FDA’s Reorganization Plan
💩 [26:14] The right reason for wearing black gloves
Disclaimer: Episode title and content do not constitute legal or health advice.
Resources from this episode
Register for the Food Safety Consortium 2025, from October 19-21, here. Use the discount code POOP for $200 OFF. See you there!
Catch up on our interview with Rick Biros, the organizer of the Food Safety Consortium, on last year’s edition, Episode 37 | Integrating Cannabis into The World of Food Safety with Rick Biros.
Learn more about Women in Food Safety.
Catch up on the episode about the FDA’s plans to cut food funding to the states, Episode 69 | A Look at the FDA’s Reorganization Plan and Some Food Safety Mythbusting.
Noteworthy quotes from this episode
“Really, truly, the Food Safety Consortium is the best networking event that I have ever been to.” – Matthew Regusci
“Corporate culture has got to change before we can change food safety culture, and that's where we need to start. I know that's where the difference is going to be made.” – Francine L Shaw
We hope you enjoy this episode!
Remember to subscribe, rate, and review the podcast on your favorite podcast platform. Together, we can raise awareness and make a positive impact in the world of food safety!
Share your thoughts and feedback on the show, and feel free to offer any topics you would like to hear discussed.
We'd love to hear from you!
📲 Connect with Francine, Matt, and the "Don't Eat Poop!" show on LinkedIn!
📕 Check out Francine's book Who Watches the Kitchen? on Amazon!
🎙️ BE A GUEST ON DON’T EAT POOP!
Fill out this form to tell us more about yourself. We’ll reach out via email within 30 days with next steps if you’re selected.
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Produced by Ideablossoms
This episode is sponsored by DeVere Chemical
🧼 Ready to say WOW? Get 15% off DeVere’s best-selling WOW™ All Purpose Cleaner—tough on grime, gentle on surfaces. Use code POOP at checkout!
📩 Contact DeVere to claim your discount.
In this episode of Don’t Eat Poop!, our hosts Matt and Francine are joined by David Hatch from Neogen, one of the world's largest suppliers of food safety testing platforms.
Get ready to learn all about food safety testing, such as what type of technology is available when it comes to testing (get results within seconds), and how the tests work in practice to keep food safe.
Unfortunately, you’ll also learn about the sad truth about most of the food safety industry being almost 2 decades behind when it comes to actually being able to do anything with the important data that it collects.
Tune in to hear the reasons why and how David and Neogen are working to change the tide.
This is a replay of Episode 64.
In this episode:
💩 [03:46] Meet David and Neogen
💩 [06:49] The type of testing that most companies use and how it works
💩 [09:38] The importance of testing in food safety
💩 [12:38] The problem of managing testing information on spreadsheets and paper
💩 [16:33] David’s mission at Neogen to bring food safety to the present
💩 [18:28] Using spreadsheets doesn’t actually mean the process is digitized
💩 [19:51] What it takes for food safety to become preventative instead of reactive
💩 [21:08] What’s great about the Food Safety Consortium
💩 [28:03] The other side of Neogen: making food safe upstream
Disclaimer: Episode title and content do not constitute legal or health advice.
Resources from this episode
Register for the Food Safety Consortium 2025, from October 19-21, here. Use the discount code POOP for $200 OFF. See you there!
Neogen website neogen.com.
Noteworthy quotes from this episode
“The problem is that the corporate management at food companies hasn't found a way to justify the digital transformation that needs to take place. And it's not that they don't want to, it's that the food industry operates at the lowest margins of any industry in the world. On average, it's only a 2.8% margin, which is the lowest in all industries in the world.” – David Hatch
We hope you enjoy this episode!
Remember to subscribe, rate, and review the podcast on your favorite podcast platform. Together, we can raise awareness and make a positive impact in the world of food safety!
We'd love to hear from you!
Connect with David, Francine, Matt, and the "Don't Eat Poop!" show on LinkedIn!
📕 Check out Francine's book Who Watches the Kitchen? on Amazon!
🎙️ BE A GUEST ON DON’T EAT POOP!
Fill out this form to tell us more about yourself. We’ll reach out via email within 30 days with next steps if you’re selected.
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Produced by Ideablossoms
This episode is sponsored by DeVere Chemical
🧼 Ready to say WOW? Get 15% off DeVere’s best-selling WOW™ All Purpose Cleaner—tough on grime, gentle on surfaces. Use code POOP at checkout!
📩 Contact DeVere to claim your discount.
In this episode of Don’t Eat Poop!, our hosts Matt and Francine are talking about how the majority of people are finally seeing that food irradiation may be a good solution for keeping food safe.
Between personal anecdotes, lessons from their journeys in food safety, and a new Food Safety News article, our hosts remember how this technology was first received decades ago, celebrate the big change in consumer opinion, and point out the biggest hurdles to its full adoption in the US.
In this episode:
💩 [01:03] When conversations about food irradiation first came around
💩 [02:10] Matt and Francine's childhood go-to foods
💩 [08:16] People's strong initial reactions to the idea of irradiated food
💩 [10:17] People don't like change, and they're still not seeing the "ir-"
💩 [12:07] The hardest thing in food safety and how Matt got into the industry
💩 [16:37] The review that revealed a growing acceptance of food irradiation
💩 [20:14] Will companies start adopting food irradiation?
💩 [22:07] How the FDA is getting in the way of change
💩 [25:38] What needs to change for food irradiation to be widely used
💩 [28:28] The great Listeria problem and the technology of the future
💩 [30:30] The FDA needs more change management people
Disclaimer: Episode title and content do not constitute legal or health advice.
Resources from this episode
Catch up with our last episode, where Matt shares his story, Episode 132.
Learn about Hypochlorous acid (HOCl) in this LinkedIn post by Francine.
Check out the Food Safety News article our hosts are talking about, Review reveals growing support for food irradiation.
Listen to the episode with Bob Comstock about his UV-based technology for making milk safe, Episode 131.
Learn more about FSMA 204, which has been punted yet again, in Episode 109.
Noteworthy quotes from this episode
“ Change management [is] the hardest thing in food safety. It was 20 years ago. It's still the same today. Change management is the hardest thing because getting people to change their habits is exactly what we do in food safety, and it is the hardest thing to do over and over and over and over again.” – Matt Regusci
“ I think [food irradiation is] a good thing. I also think that hypochlorous acid is a good thing, but nobody wants to change the way they do things. Everybody's like, it's the same old, same old that we've been doing for years. People don't like change.” – Francine L Shaw
We hope you enjoy this episode!
Remember to subscribe, rate, and review the podcast on your favorite podcast platform. Together, we can raise awareness and make a positive impact in the world of food safety!
Share your thoughts and feedback on the show, and feel free to offer any topics you would like to hear discussed.
We'd love to hear from you!
📲 Connect with Francine, Matt, and the "Don't Eat Poop!" show on LinkedIn!
📕 Check out Francine's book Who Watches the Kitchen? on Amazon!
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Fill out this form to tell us more about yourself. We’ll reach out via email within 30 days with next steps if you’re selected.
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Get ready for an intensely personal, raw, and possibly uncomfortable episode of Don’t Eat Poop! Warning: In case alcoholism is a sensitive topic for you, proceed with caution.
In the face of a recent Celsius Astro Vibe energy drink recall due to a mix-up at the factory, which resulted in High Noon vodka seltzer alcohol inside Celsius cans, our hosts Matt and Francine are approaching this recall in a different way.
To better illustrate how serious this mishap is and its possible consequences, Matt opens up on his complicated decades-long journey with alcoholism and how he's finally managed to recover from it in the past two and a half years.
Tune in for this brave story and more information on this possibly disastrous recall.
In this episode:
💩 [03:00] Matt's early introduction to alcohol
💩 [04:06] From his teenage years all the way to COVID
💩 [05:44] When Matt's addiction to alcohol got really bad
💩 [09:45] The breaking point and Matt's hard road to sobriety
💩 [18:13] The physical aspects behind addiction
💩 [21:10] The feelings that come up in the process of recovery
💩 [24:59] The mistakenly alcoholic Celsius Astro Vibe recall
💩 [25:49] The risks if these mislabeled cans fall into kids' hands
💩 [27:00] Understand High Noon's monumentally terrible whoops
💩 [30:58] The seeming lack of quality control in these factories
💩 [32:12] Energy drinks and their differences
💩 [34:53] The recent diet Coke and regular Coke mix-up
Disclaimer: Episode title and content do not constitute legal or health advice.
Resources from this episode
Listen to the song Paralyzed by NF.
Learn more about Alcoholics Anonymous and find the one nearest to you at aa.org.
Check out the NBC article Matt refers to when talking about the Celsius recall.
Noteworthy quotes from this episode
“ An alcoholic who is in recovery, getting a drink that has alcohol in it, and they don't know, that could be very bad. Will it kill them? No, that one alcohol drink is not going to kill them. Will it kill them because they start drinking again, and then everything goes down? Potentially.” – Matt Regusci
“ Sometimes I wonder if some of these places even have quality control. I don't know. They have to, at some level, but you have to wonder.” – Francine L Shaw
We hope you enjoy this episode!
Remember to subscribe, rate, and review the podcast on your favorite podcast platform. Together, we can raise awareness and make a positive impact in the world of food safety!
Share your thoughts and feedback on the show, and feel free to offer any topics you would like to hear discussed.
We'd love to hear from you!
📲 Connect with Francine, Matt, and the "Don't Eat Poop!" show on LinkedIn!
📕 Check out Francine's book Who Watches the Kitchen? on Amazon!
🎙️ BE A GUEST ON DON’T EAT POOP!
Fill out this form to tell us more about yourself. We’ll reach out via email within 30 days with next steps if you’re selected.
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In episode 127 of Don’t Eat Poop!, our hosts Matt and Francine talked about a technological breakthrough that could zap the pathogens out of raw milk while preserving its beneficial components.
Well, in this episode they are joined by the man behind it all, Bob Comstock, the Founder and CEO of Tamarack Biotics, the company that's developed this UV-based pasteurization process.
Tune in to discover how this technology makes nutritious and safe milk, how it will replace thermal treatments, and how it's already making its way to the rest of the world.
In this episode:
💩 [01:11] Meet Bob Comstock and his journey with Tamarack Biotics
💩 [02:57] How this UV-based technology makes milk safe
💩 [06:44] The differences in milk after different treatments
💩 [08:51] Improving milk's bioavailability and restoring immune function
💩 [11:10] The 3 reasons this technology will change everything
💩 [11:44] The FDA and the history of making milk safe
💩 [12:47] How TruActive kills only the pathogens and leaves the rest
💩 [15:40] Solving the biggest challenge in processing milk with heat
💩 [16:40] Replacing heat with UV without changing dairy infrastructure
💩 [19:00] Why the FDA is slowing down the adoption of this technology
💩 [23:00] How UV-treated milk can prevent children from developing allergies
💩 [25:07] This is already making its way to the rest of the world
💩 [26:05] Making infant formula better and more nutritious
💩 [29:33] Why plant-based milks can't compare with the real thing
💩 [31:29] How this technology will affect the raw milk industry
💩 [35:39] The groundbreaking approval from the FDA and the global rollout
💩 [37:35] Research centers for dairy, food technology, and nutrition
💩 [40:16] The very real dangers of raw milk (take care of your cats)
Disclaimer: Episode title and content do not constitute legal or health advice.
Resources from this episode
Catch up with the episode where we first talked about Bob Comstock and his innovative technology, Episode 127 | Zapping Pathogens Could Be a Breakthrough For Making Raw Milk Safe.
Learn more about Tamarack Biotics here.
Catch up with one of the podcast's best episodes on raw milk: Episode 22 | Is It Safe to Drink Raw Milk? Food Safety Specialists Break It Down.
Noteworthy quotes from this episode
“This approval we got from the FDA was groundbreaking. It's opening an enormous door because they've affirmed that we're legal pasteurization of milk and that we're actually safer than heat. It's not a compromise in safety that some people might think from an alternative to heat, but it's safer.” – Bob Comstock
We hope you enjoy this episode!
Remember to subscribe, rate, and review the podcast on your favorite podcast platform. Together, we can raise awareness and make a positive impact in the world of food safety!
Share your thoughts and feedback on the show, and feel free to offer any topics you would like to hear discussed.
We'd love to hear from you!
📲 Connect with Bob, Francine, Matt, and the "Don't Eat Poop!" show on LinkedIn!
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In this episode of Don’t Eat Poop!, our hosts Matt and Francine are diving into the 2025 IFIC Food and Health Survey, a robust study that reveals confidence in U.S. food safety has hit an all-time low.
Tune in for their analysis on the big shifts that have happened in consumer opinions and concerns over the past few years, and their opinion on what this means for food suppliers going forward.
Keep in mind that there is a lot of their trademark humor throughout the episode. Don't always take things at face value, unless they're actual stats. Beware!
In this episode:
💩 [01:18] Matt's going from 11 to 12 forever kiddos
💩 [07:32] Francine's health scare (don't worry, she's alright now)
💩 [09:55] Confidence in U.S. food safety has hit an all-time low
💩 [12:00] How different generations relate to the safety of their food
💩 [15:43] Why overall confidence dropped so much so fast
💩 [17:46] The pressure is on for food suppliers to catch up
💩 [19:55] The shift in consumers' major concerns around the U.S. food supply
💩 [24:17] Consumers are becoming more worried about foodborne illnesses
💩 [28:50] Growing concern over heavy metals, chemicals, and food dyes
💩 [33:52] Americans' views on the safety of imported food
💩 [37:21] Key results from the 2025 IFIC Food and Health Survey
Disclaimer: Episode title and content do not constitute legal or health advice.
Resources from this episode
Check out the Food Safety News article our hosts are talking about, Confidence in U.S. food safety hits an all-time low.
Learn more about the Clean Label Project Certification at cleanlabelproject.org.
Catch up on our previous episode for more on the Shakes Outbreak, Episode 129 | A Recap of 2025’s Major Outbreaks (So Far) with Bill Marler.
Catch up on the episode where we talked about what MAHA is trying to push, Episode 125 | FDA Spikes the Ball and Claims Success.
Watch Emmy award-winning documentary, Poisoned: The Dirty Truth About Your Food.
Learn all about the WanaBana Cinnamon Applesauce Pouches Lead and Chromium Poisoning Outbreak with Episode 51.
Noteworthy quotes from this episode
“The food industry is going to have to shift. It just is. It's not a, if it's going to, it's a when it's going to because it won't be able to compete with other companies that address these issues. It just won't.” – Matt Regusci
“ I don't think even three years ago that [...] people were aware of foodborne illnesses so much. Yeah, they existed. But [...] I don't think it was something that was really even thought about. Which makes me believe that things like Poisoned and the podcasts that are out there talking about these things are helping.” – Francine L Shaw
We hope you enjoy this episode!
Remember to subscribe, rate, and review the podcast on your favorite podcast platform. Together, we can raise awareness and make a positive impact in the world of food safety!
Share your thoughts and feedback on the show, and feel free to offer any topics you would like to hear discussed.
We'd love to hear from you!
📲 Connect with Francine, Matt, and the "Don't Eat Poop!" show on LinkedIn!
📕 Check out Francine's book Who Watches the Kitchen? on Amazon!
🎙️ BE A GUEST ON DON’T EAT POOP!
Fill out this form to tell us more about yourself. We’ll reach out via email within 30 days with next steps if you’re selected.
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Produced by Ideablossoms
This episode is sponsored by DeVere Chemical
🧼 Ready to say WOW? Get 15% off DeVere’s best-selling WOW™ All Purpose Cleaner—tough on grime, gentle on surfaces. Use code POOP at checkout!
📩 Contact DeVere to claim your discount.
In this episode of Don’t Eat Poop!, our hosts Matt and Francine are joined by Bill Marler, the nation's leading foodborne illness attorney, to discuss some of the major outbreaks of 2025 (so far), those who aren't doing what they're supposed to, and how we can push for changes towards food safety.
Buckle up because not only are there many, but they're very frustrating ones.
We'll revisit the Boar's Head Outbreak as new violations have been found in other plants, and the company is reopening the plant from the outbreak. We'll tackle the Darwin Dog Food case, which has been linked to a four-year-old child who became infected with E. coli O157:H7 and developed HUS, as well as the Listeria Shake Outbreak in long-term care facilities, with 14 dead.
In this episode:
💩 [01:11] Sexy tractors and feeling politically out of place
💩 [04:07] Do the Boar's Head executives even care?
💩 [08:06] What Boar's Head is doing and what they should've done instead
💩 [16:15] The frustrating E. coli-contaminated Darwin Dog Food case
💩 [18:53] FDA's failure to enforce a product recall from Darwin
💩 [24:14] How Bill is finally getting justice for the Shake Outbreak victims
💩 [29:42] How companies can save lives by testing their products
💩 [33:29] When authorities redact documents and withhold critical information
💩 [37:58] The Romaine Lettuce outbreak that remains a "mystery"
💩 [42:49] How Bill Marler is unfortunately having to do the FDA and CDC's jobs
💩 [50:04] The incredible success of the fight against E. coli in hamburgers
💩 [55:04] Addressing the Poisoned documentary skeptics
Disclaimer: Episode title and content do not constitute legal or health advice.
Resources from this episode
Read the Marler Blog post with the 35 pages of non-conformances on Boar's Head's plants.
Read about the frustrating E. coli-contaminated Darwin Dog Food case.
Read about the Listeria Shake Outbreak in long-term care facilities.
Here's the video with the keynote speaker saying we should "Put Bill Marler out of business".
Watch Bill Marler and Darin Detwiler’s Emmy award-winning documentary, Poisoned: The Dirty Truth About Your Food.
Read about the multi-state E. coli outbreak where the FDA and CDC chose to Romaine Silent.
Catch up with past Bill Marler episodes:
Noteworthy quotes from this episode
“ I don't know why FDA won't name the romaine lettuce guys, even though they did when the same guys were growing onions. I don't have a good answer to that question other than I just think it sadly, undercuts the authority of public health, that they seem to be an honest broker in the process. It breaks my heart.” – Bill Marler
We hope you enjoy this episode!
Remember to subscribe, rate, and review the podcast on your favorite podcast platform. Together, we can raise awareness and make a positive impact in the world of food safety!
Share your thoughts and feedback on the show, and feel free to offer any topics you would like to hear discussed.
We'd love to hear from you!
📲 Connect with Francine, Matt, and the "Don't Eat Poop!" show on LinkedIn!
📕 Check out Francine's book Who Watches the Kitchen? on Amazon!
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Fill out this form to tell us more about yourself. We’ll reach out via email within 30 days with next steps if you’re selected.
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Produced by Ideablossoms