Shawn K. Stevens

Fight for Food Safety

FSIS, FDA should merge

Creating a single food-safety agency under FSMA rules would eliminate redundancy.

June 14, 2013

We have heard a lot lately about government funding shortfalls, and the impact it is having on the ability of many agencies to fulfill their responsibilities.

Fight for Food Safety

Apples and oranges from the same organizational tree

Shawn K. Stevens

May 7, 2013

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Although I defend food companies in high-profile foodborne illness outbreak lawsuits throughout the country, the majority of my time is spent working with clients to improve the quality of their operations from a risk-exposure and brand-protection standpoint.

Preventing recalls: A ‘hot’ topic

Shawn K. Stevens

April 9, 2013

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Can anyone really guarantee that your products will never be implicated in a recall? For most raw beef processors, the response has consistently been that, in the absence of a validated intervention such as high-pressure processing or irradiation, such a statement was impossible.

Part of the 2013 Food Safety Report

Showing that your brand ‘cares’ about food safety isn’t enough

Shawn K. Stevens

April 8, 2013

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When it comes to the production of meat, the things industry can’t see are the things industry fears the most.

How to best communicate to consumers during an outbreak or recall

Ways to ensure consumers get the right ‘flavor’ from your message.

Shawn K. Stevens

March 12, 2013

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Indeed, sometimes really bad things, such as outbreaks and recalls, happen to really good companies.

Fight for Food Safety

Incentivizing food safety, part 2

Shawn K. Stevens

February 7, 2013

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In our last column, we introduced the fundamental challenges facing the industry as it works to improve food safety.

Fight for Food Safety

Incentivizing food safety, part 1

Shawn K. Stevens

January 11, 2013

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Not a single day goes by when we don’t hear about the critical importance of food safety. We need to develop, embrace and encourage a robust food-safety culture, we’re told.

Turning up the heat

Shawn K. Stevens

December 7, 2012

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USDA recently announced that it is planning on requiring meat companies to begin placing additional safe-handling labeling on steaks that are mechanically or needle-tenderized.