Cyclospora, Taylor Farms and the Produce Safety Crisis | Inside Food Safety EP.5

One of the largest Cyclospora outbreaks in U.S. history has placed fresh produce safety under the national spotlight.

In this episode of Inside Food Safety, presented by Testo North America, Carl Fiadini and co-host Eric Moore are joined by nationally recognized produce safety expert Kiley Harper-Larsen, M.S., Owner of The Ag Safety Lady and a food safety executive with more than two decades of experience spanning farms, processing facilities, audits, crisis management and regulatory compliance.  She has spent her career working everywhere from farms and packing houses to boardrooms, recalls and FDA inspections.

Together, they examine the ongoing Cyclospora outbreak linked to Taylor Farms and discuss what is currently known, what remains unknown, and why outbreaks like this are among the most difficult events for the produce industry to investigate.

Topics include:

• What Cyclospora is and how it spreads
• Why produce outbreaks are uniquely challenging to trace
• Farm-to-table food safety systems
• Supply chain accountability
• Worker hygiene and agricultural water
• Consumer risk and practical guidance
• The role of technology and testing
• What the industry must do to prevent future outbreaks

Rather than assigning blame, this conversation explores the science, the systems and the lessons that can help strengthen food safety across the entire supply chain.

Guest:
Kiley Harper-Larsen, M.S.
Owner & Lead Consultant, The Ag Safety Lady
Former Corporate Safety Director, A. Duda & Sons
Former Vice President of Product & Personnel Safety, J&J Family of Farms

Presented by Testo North America