In this “Best of 2025” episode of Omnivore Presents: SciDish, Food Technology revisits the top food science and thought leader interviews of the year. In 2025, the industry experienced a sharp uptick in food recalls—affecting everything from leafy greens to frozen meals. And it was not just one culprit—Listeria, Salmonella, E. coli, and even viruses like norovirus and parasites like cyclospora flooded the headlines. Is this a coincidence, or are we facing a deeper shift in our food safety landscape? With fewer federal food inspectors, rising supply chain pressures, and emerging microbial threats, the question isn't just “what's happening?”—it’s “what can be done?” In this episode, we’re joined by three leading food safety experts who explore why these recalls are happening, what risks might be looming, and what businesses can do to strengthen resilience—even in a time of regulatory gaps and economic volatility.
This episode of Omnivore is brought to you by CoDeveloper, from IFT. CoDeveloper is the first AI-powered co-scientist built BY food scientists FOR food scientists, and leverages IFT's 85+ years of scientific excellence – accelerating your R&D processes and helping solve your toughest challenges. Learn more and book your free demo at CoDeveloper.IFT.org.
Listen and subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen to podcasts.
GUESTS
Darryl Riley, who most recently served as the senior vice president, chief sustainability officer and on the executive leadership team at Hostess Brands, is a member of IFT’s Board of Directors. Darryl’s industry leadership also includes roles as senior vice president of quality, food safety, R&D, and consumer affairs with Hostess, as vice president, R&D, quality & innovation (twice!) at Kraft Foods, and earlier his career, was vice president, research, quality & technology at the Kellogg Company. Darryl also was president of Total Food Safety Management, a quality and food safety consulting firm assisting small to medium-sized food companies build their quality and food safety culture.
Robin Forgey, PhD, is Assistant General Merchandise Manager, Food Safety and Quality Assurance, Global Sustainability and Compliance with Costco Wholesale. Robin establishes global product quality and food safety policies, ensuring vendor compliance and develops regulatory compliance programs for company facilities and creates tracking systems to monitor vendor adherence for the multinational warehouse club retailer. She also oversees routine product quality and safety testing, as well as vendor and facility auditing. She serves on multiple committees working to improve food safety, including the Alliance to Stop Foodborne Illness and the Leafy Greens Food Safety Coalition.
Larry Keener, PA, is president and CEO of International Product Safety Consultants, a global leader in providing food safety and food technology solutions to the food processing industry for a broad client base of Fortune 500 food companies, academic research institutes and government agencies. Larry is an internationally regarded microbiologist and process authority in the food industry, an IFT Fellow and past president of IFT’s Nonthermal Processing Division.
Omnivore Podcast
In each episode of Omnivore Presents: SciDish, listeners get a deeper dive into a single topic shaping the future of food. Hosted by the editors of Food Technology, together with IFT members and subject matter experts, SciDish brings you the science, insights, and real-world perspectives that drive innovation, solve complex challenges, and connect disciplines across the global food system.
