The U.S. meat and poultry supply is among the safest in the world, yet pathogens like Salmonella and Listeria remain stubbornly persistent. As the regulatory landscape shifts and the industry's workforce evolves, what will it take to finally modernize our approach to meat and poultry safety?
In the third episode of Smarter Food Safety, host Frank Yiannas sits down with Dr. Mindy Brashears—the USDA’s recently returned Deputy Under Secretary for Food Safety. Drawing on her deep background as a scientist and academic, Dr. Brashears offers an essential roadmap for anyone navigating the complex intersection of government oversight and private-sector operations.
Ecolab is proud to sponsor the podcast and help bring these critical conversations to the professionals working to build a safer, more resilient supply chain.
Navigating workforce shifts with technology
One of the most immediate concerns for stakeholders across the food system is . With rumors of 5% to 10% reductions in headcount across various departments, there is understandable anxiety about how these cuts might impact inspection and oversight.
Mindy is quick to reassure the industry about the USDA’s frontline, saying, "We have to make sure we maintain our workforce in the facilities. Our frontline workforce is very strong and has had one of the best levels we've had in a long time."
However, workforce shifts—whether in the public or private sector—can serve as a necessary catalyst for modernization.
The stubborn persistence of Listeria
Despite advancements in whole-genome sequencing and environmental monitoring, Listeria monocytogenes outbreaks continue to plague the ready-to-eat (RTE) meat and poultry industry.
The stakes are only getting higher. Demographic shifts are creating a much larger pool of highly susceptible consumers. By the year 2030, all baby boomers will be 65 or older. Without significant interventions, the incidence rate of listeriosis will inevitably rise alongside this aging population.
Mindy points to a fundamental misunderstanding of how contamination occurs post-lethality. Many processors assume that because a product is fully cooked, it must be safe, but in doing so, they severely underestimate the critical role of sanitation. That vulnerability is compounded by the industry's heavy reliance on a regulatory compliance option that relies solely on sanitation rather than incorporating post-lethality treatments or antimicrobial agents.
"This is a sanitation problem. I've been surprised at how many processors or companies use Alternative 3 with no intervention and no technology." — Dr. Mindy Brashears
With the aging population amplifying the risk, both regulators and the industry are taking a hard look at whether Alternative 3 provides sufficient protection for RTE meat and poultry products, or whether it’s time to enforce additional testing and industry data.
A quantitative approach to Salmonella in poultry
Poultry has been reportedly finally bring that number down.
Historically, testing has focused on simply identifying the presence or absence of the pathogen. But as Mindy explains, finding a single colony-forming unit (CFU) does not provide the context needed to assess public health risk. The Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) is now collaborating with the Agricultural Research Service (ARS) to validate thresholds that precisely quantify the pathogen’s presence and, crucially, whether it’s a highly pathogenic strain.
"We're validating some of those thresholds and quantitative tests so we can get accurate information and get rid of the most pathogenic parts and strains." — Dr. Mindy Brashears
By focusing resources on the strains that pose the greatest risk to human health—across poultry, turkey, beef, and pork—regulators and producers can deploy more effective interventions and meaningfully reduce the burden of foodborne illness.
Proactive responsibility and the power of data
While regulatory oversight is a non-negotiable cornerstone of the food system, producing safe food is fundamentally a private-sector responsibility. Government agencies provide the minimum benchmarks, but safety requires operators to go above and beyond compliance.
Whether it’s environmental monitoring for Listeria or bio-mapping for poultry, Mindy emphasizes the importance of using data, science, and technology to deeply understand processing environments before a crisis hits.
"Don't wait for an outbreak to occur. If you wait to react, you may not have a business left." — Dr. Mindy Brashears
That shift from reactive firefighting to proactive prevention is the defining characteristic of a mature food safety program. When companies fully understand their processing environments, they protect public health and the long-term viability of their own operations in equal measure.
A call to action for the industry
While understanding the USDA's roadmap is critical, government regulation alone can't solve these challenges. Bending the curve requires individual organizations to take ownership of their own processes and actively invest in the science needed to understand them.
"We need to keep developing new technologies and methods…whether it's for sampling, detection, quantification, or intervention. It's a shared responsibility and we want our food supply to be the safest in the world." — Dr. Mindy Brashears
The way forward will require the industry to embrace that shared responsibility and never let the risks of today outpace the science of tomorrow.
This episode of Smarter Food Safety is available now, wherever you get your podcasts.
To learn more about the Smarter Food Safety podcast host, Frank Yiannas, and why Ecolab is partnering on this show, read our podcast introduction here.
Episode Field Notes
Terms and resources worth bookmarking for food and beverage operators this year.
Listeria monocytogenes: A resilient, foodborne pathogen discussed by Frank and Mindy that persists in cold, wet processing environments and poses severe risks to vulnerable populations, particularly the elderly: https://www.fsis.usda.gov/food-safety/foodborne-illness-and-disease/pathogens/listeria-monocytogenes
Alternative 3: A USDA FSIS regulatory compliance option for ready-to-eat (RTE) meat and poultry that relies solely on sanitation measures to control Listeria, rather than utilizing post-lethality treatments or antimicrobial agents: https://extension.okstate.edu/fact-sheets/food-pathogens-of-concern-listeria-monocytogenes
Salmonella Quantification: The USDA's strategic shift from simply testing for the presence of Salmonella to measuring the exact amount and identifying highly pathogenic strains to better target interventions in poultry: https://www.fsis.usda.gov/inspection/inspection-programs/inspection-poultry-products/reducing-salmonella-poultry
Bio-mapping: The proactive process of collecting microbiological data throughout a processing facility to identify contamination risks, validate sanitation effectiveness, and establish baseline process controls: https://www.fsis.usda.gov/guidelines/2021-0005