Episode #4 — In the Loop with Darin Detwiler

This ‘In the Loop with CMX’ Podcast episode featured Dr. Darin Detwiler, one of the leading food safety advocates in the U.S. and abroad. He’s an associate professor at Northeastern University's College of Professional Studies. In 1993, Darin tragically lost his son, Riley, to an E. coli outbreak. As a result, he has spent the last 30 years striving to bring about change in how governments and companies approach food safety.

Meeting and interviewing Dr. Darin Detwiler was one of the personal highlights for the CMX team. To say that Darin has an impressive number of accolades under his belt is an understatement. He’s authored the influential food safety book “Food Safety: Past, Present, and Predictions”, he’s spoken on TedX, and he’s a columnist for the Quality Assurance Magazine. He’s also the recipient of several awards, such as the Food Safety Magazine’s Distinguished Service Award in 2018, and the International Association for Food Protection’s Ewen C.D. Todd Control of Foodborne Illness Award in 2022. There’s a lot to learn from him!

Darin’s holistic approach toward food safety implies that everyone has a role to play in food safety—no matter who you are. Darin hopes to continually inspire people in their Herculean effort and the enormous amount of work, strength, and courage that’s necessary to keep food as safe as it can be. This interview is not one you want to miss!

Other discussion points include:

• FDA’s Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA): the ins and outs and its associated challenges
• Consumers and the part they play in driving food safety 
• The importance of being able to quickly find information and take action
• Prioritizing your mission statement
• Making sure you’re always investing in food safety—no matter what
• Developing a food safety culture
• The cost of compliance vs the cost of failure