Food Safety Summit Day 1 Wrap-Up

ROSEMONT, Ill. — Food Safety Summit started in earnest Tuesday, May 10, with a civil mock trial. Presented by Shawn Stevens, national food industry lawyer and founder of Food Industry Counsel, and Joel Chappelle, food industry lawyer at Food Industry Counsel, the session offered a look at the proceedings on a civil trial involving a large-scale foodborne illness outbreak. 

The room full of food safety professional served as jurors in the mock trial, which was about an 11-year-old girl who died of Listeriosis. The trial featured outbreak data, witnesses such as the girl's mother, executives from the company accused of making the egg salad that allegedly caused the Listeriosis and epidemiologists. 

After three hours, 14 jury tables found the company not at fault for the Listeria that caused the death of the 11-year-old. Ten juries said yes. There were eight hung juries. One jury, perhaps thinking more harshly of the company's lacking food safety and quality characteristics, awarded $1 billion to the estate of the young girl, instead of the recommended $10 million.

That result is actually indicative of something Stevens said after verdicts were read.

“When it comes to food, people get really worked up," he told the audience. "Juries tend to be more harsh on food companies in trials.” 

Later in the day, a packed house (seriously, people were streaming out of the room), listened to a panel of expert discuss how to effectively communicate with regulators. Moderated by Oscar Garrison, senior vice president, food safety regulatory affairs, United Egg Producers, the panelists included Craig Wilson, Costco Wholesale; Steve Mandernach, Association of Food and Drug Officials (AFDO), Jorge Hernandez, The Wendy's Co.; Will Daniels, AgroThrive, Inc.; Mark Moorman, CFSAN, U.S. Food and Drug Administration; and Philip Bornstein, Ph.D. Food Safety and Inspection Service, USDA.

During the workshop, the panelists provided insight on why industry and regulators need to communicate better, and tips how to do it. 

"Our goal is compliance," Bornstein said. "If that can be done with a conversation, and you don't need a noncompliance report, then do it with a conversation."

Tuesday closed with a welcome reception in the exhibit hall, which featured food, drinks and sneak peeks at vendor booths (including ours!).