Don't Eat Poop! A Food Safety Podcast

Food Safety Specialists: Matthew Regusci and Francine L Shaw
  • 4.2 (23)
  • Natural Sciences
  • Updated Weekly

Tune in every Tuesday for a brand new episode of Don't Eat Poop! A Food Safety Podcast. Join Francine L. Shaw, the savvy CEO of Savvy Food Safety, and Matthew Regusci, compliance connoisseur and founder of Fostering Compliance, as they serve up the latest in food safety with a side of laughter. Explore the ins and outs of food systems, responsible food practices, and food safety regulations. Stay informed about food safety awareness and the not-so-occasional food recall. Delve deep into the complexities of the food supply chain with our dynamic duo, who blend expert insights with a pinch of food safety humor. Whether you're knee-deep in the food safety industry or just passionate about what's on your plate, this podcast promises a fresh take on staying safe while eating well. Expect candid conversations, personal anecdotes, and occasional guest appearances that spice up the discussion. Shaw and Regusci bring their combined decades of experience to the table, making each episode as informative as it is entertaining. From industry trends to must-know food safety news and regulations, they've got your back (and your lunch). In essence, Don't Eat Poop! A Food Safety Podcast is not just about imparting information; it's about fostering a culture of food safety. By shedding light on the intricacies of the food supply chain and the latest food safety news, it aims to promote awareness and encourage responsible food practices among consumers and industry professionals alike. When it comes to food safety, knowledge is power, and a good laugh is the best seasoning. At the heart of every episode is one golden rule: Don't Eat Poop!

  1. 1d ago

    The Power of Storytelling in Food Safety with Dr. Darin Detwiler & Gennette Zimmer | Episode 175

    🍽️ Francine and Matt are building a global, fun, and inclusive Food Safety Family! From the C-suite to the kitchen, they’re making safe food the norm everywhere. 👉 Follow Francine and Matt on LinkedIn for more food safety insights and updates. Every corporate food safety crisis seems to follow the same script: a somber press conference, a pledge to prioritize safety, a promise to retrain the people at the bottom. But what if the missing ingredient isn't more data or policy — it's story?  In this episode of Don’t Eat Poop!, Dr. Darin Detwiler and Gennette Zimmer join Francine and Matt to make the case that food safety culture is built on the stories we tell, and the ones we're afraid to. They explore how storytelling shapes food safety culture, why credentials don't always equal true expertise, and why so many food safety conferences still don't reflect the people most affected by failures. In this episode: 00:00:00 Storytelling as the "Mortar" of Food Safety Culture 00:03:57 Darin's 30 Years of Teaching Comes to a Close 00:12:39 Teaching Through Storytelling 00:19:43 Peanut Corp, Baby Formula, Boar's Head: A Pattern of Ignored Warnings 00:24:00 The Corporate Crisis Playbook 00:26:48 The Families' Food Safety Forgets 00:31:00 Storytelling Talk at the Food Safety Consortium 00:40:46 How Storytelling Impacts Audiences 00:44:15 Diversity and Representation in Food Safety 00:49:34 The Three Dimensions of Storytelling Disclaimer: Episode title and content do not constitute legal or health advice. Resources from this episode Connect with Dr. Darin Detwiler on LinkedIn Connect with Gennette Zimmer on LinkedIn Confessions of a Food Safety A**hole podcast Take a look at our past episode with Darin and Gennette: What Happens When You Speak Up For Food Safety with Food Safety Icon Dr. Darin Detwiler and His Wife Gennette Zimmer Get 25% off the 2026 Food Safety Consortium with discount code POOP Noteworthy quotes from this episode “ When the people who are your intended audience do not see themselves reflected in the conversation, that's hard for buy-in.” – Dr. Darin Detwiler We hope you enjoy this episode! Remember to subscribe, rate, and review the podcast on your favorite podcast platform. Together, we can raise awareness and make a positive impact in the world of food safety! Share your thoughts and feedback on the show, and feel free to offer any topics you would like to hear discussed. We'd love to hear from you! 📲 Connect with Francine, Matt, and the "Don't Eat Poop!" show on LinkedIn! 📕 Check out Francine's book Who Watches the Kitchen? 🎙️ BE A GUEST ON DON’T EAT POOP! Fill out this form to tell us more about yourself. We’ll reach out via email within 30 days with next steps if you’re selected. _______ Produced by Ideablossoms _______

    The Power of Storytelling in Food Safety with Dr. Darin Detwiler & Gennette Zimmer | Episode 175

  2. Jul 7

    Fake IDs, Real Consequences: Child Labor Exposed in the Meat Industry | Episode 174

    🍽️ Francine and Matt are building a global, fun, and inclusive Food Safety Family! From the C-suite to the kitchen, they’re making safe food the norm everywhere. 👉 Follow Francine and Matt on LinkedIn for more food safety insights and updates. A janitorial contractor forged IDs for 336 of his 353 workers, and two dozen of them were children as young as 13, cleaning industrial equipment inside a Perdue Farms slaughterhouse.  In this episode of Don’t Eat Poop!, Matt and Francine dig into a case that took six years to reach sentencing, exposing how easily child labor laws can be circumvented when a subcontractor controls the paperwork. Along the way, the story opens into a much bigger problem: stolen identities, the real people left cleaning up the damage, and what food companies should be asking their staffing vendors. Hiring the cheapest staffing vendor might be costing you a lot more than you think. In this episode: 00:00:57 Child Labor Laws in the Food Safety Industry 00:09:35 A Janitorial Manager’s Guilty Plea for Forged IDs 00:13:17 Why Slaughterhouses are No Place for Kids 00:18:50 Forged Licenses, Birth Certificates, and Stolen Social Security Numbers 00:23:58 Déjà Vu: The 2023 Packer Sanitation Services Case 00:25:54 Identity Theft Victims and Corporate Security Fallout Disclaimer: Episode title and content do not constitute legal or health advice. Resources from this episode Take a look at the two articles we mentioned in this episode: Sentence scheduled for former janitorial services manager who forged IDs for hundreds of workersWorkers for slaughterhouse cleaning firm that hired children repeatedly used stolen identities to get jobs Noteworthy quotes from this episode “A slaughterhouse is not for children. These places are dangerous for adults. I'm not saying they should be shut down. I'm just saying you have to be 100% aware of your surroundings in a slaughterhouse.” – Matt Regusci “It's like everything else. You get what you pay for.” – Francine L Shaw We hope you enjoy this episode! Remember to subscribe, rate, and review the podcast on your favorite podcast platform. Together, we can raise awareness and make a positive impact in the world of food safety! Share your thoughts and feedback on the show, and feel free to offer any topics you would like to hear discussed. We'd love to hear from you! 📲 Connect with Francine, Matt, and the "Don't Eat Poop!" show on LinkedIn! 📕 Check out Francine's book Who Watches the Kitchen? 🎙️ BE A GUEST ON DON’T EAT POOP! Fill out this form to tell us more about yourself. We’ll reach out via email within 30 days with next steps if you’re selected. _______ Produced by Ideablossoms _______

    Fake IDs, Real Consequences: Child Labor Exposed in the Meat Industry | Episode 174

  3. Jun 30

    Food Safety as an Investment: Inside the 2026 Food Safety Consortium with Rick Biros | Episode 173

    🍽️ Francine and Matt are building a global, fun, and inclusive Food Safety Family! From the C-suite to the kitchen, they’re making safe food the norm everywhere. 👉 Follow Francine and Matt on LinkedIn for more food safety insights and updates. Rick Biros, founder of Food Safety Tech and the Food Safety Consortium, is back with our hosts Matt and Francine to make the case that food safety needs a new narrative — one built on ROI and recognition instead of checkbox culture, with buy-in that has to reach all the way up to the C-suite. This episode of Don't Eat Poop! previews what's new at the 2026 Food Safety Consortium: a storytellers panel with Francine and Darin Detwiler, a brand-new award for food safety teams that can prove their bottom-line impact, and an update on the growing Women in Food Safety community. In this episode: 00:00:00 Abstract Submissions for the Food Safety Consortium 00:03:55 Storytelling as a Food Safety Leadership Tool 00:07:04 The Real Food Safety Culture Challenge 00:12:19 The ROI of Food Safety 00:21:04 Introducing the Food Safety Tech Excellence Award 00:26:12 Women in Food Safety: Mentorship & Growth Disclaimer: Episode title and content do not constitute legal or health advice. Resources from this episode Use the discount code POOP for 25% off your ticket to the 2026 Food Safety Consortium. Enter the new Food Safety Tech Excellence Award at foodsafetytech.com  Take a look at our previous episodes with Rick: Behind the Scenes of the Food Safety Consortium: Curation, Speakers & 15 Years of Evolution with Rick Biros from Food Safety Tech | Episode 17015 Years of Food Safety Tech: Food Safety Compliance vs Reality with Rick Biros | Episode 161Behind the Scenes at the Food Safety Consortium with Rick Biros: Conference Culture, Compliance & Community | Episode 123 Noteworthy quotes from this episode “As a food safety community, we have to start changing the narrative about food safety. This is not just about compliance. Compliance should be the bare minimum. That's not what you shoot for. That's the floor. That should be expected.” – Rick Biros We hope you enjoy this episode! Remember to subscribe, rate, and review the podcast on your favorite podcast platform. Together, we can raise awareness and make a positive impact in the world of food safety! Share your thoughts and feedback on the show, and feel free to offer any topics you would like to hear discussed. We'd love to hear from you! 📲 Connect with Francine, Matt, and the "Don't Eat Poop!" show on LinkedIn! 📕 Check out Francine's book Who Watches the Kitchen? 🎙️ BE A GUEST ON DON’T EAT POOP! Fill out this form to tell us more about yourself. We’ll reach out via email within 30 days with next steps if you’re selected. _______ Produced by Ideablossoms _______

    Food Safety as an Investment: Inside the 2026 Food Safety Consortium with Rick Biros | Episode 173

  4. Jun 23

    World Cup Food Safety: 10 Million Visitors & 28 Health Inspectors | Episode 172

    🍽️ Francine and Matt are building a global, fun, and inclusive Food Safety Family! From the C-suite to the kitchen, they’re making safe food the norm everywhere. 👉 Follow Francine and Matt on LinkedIn for more food safety insights and updates. The FIFA World Cup is coming to Atlanta, and with it, up to 10 million visitors, thousands of temporary food vendors, and a food safety infrastructure that is already stretched thin. In this episode of Don’t Eat Poop!, Francine and Matt pull apart the logistics of feeding a city-sized surge of international fans, from inspecting pop-up tents in 100-degree heat to the very real norovirus scenario that could turn one food truck into a multi-city outbreak.  When you pack 10 million people into a city with 28 health inspectors on the clock, something is going to fall through the cracks — the question is how much. In this episode: 00:00:00 World Cup in Atlanta: The Numbers 00:09:25 Atlanta Health Inspectors’ Impossible Workload 00:16:01 Potential Novovirus Scenarios 00:17:59 Temperature Control and Food Safety Blind Spots 00:25:27 The Reality of Food Safety Inspections 00:28:42 Approved Vendors and Traceability 00:37:39 Atlanta is Preparing for the World Cup Disclaimer: Episode title and content do not constitute legal or health advice. Resources from this episode Take a look at the article we’re talking about in this episode: Atlanta health inspectors prepare restaurants and vendors for World Cup crowds Noteworthy quotes from this episode “ Moral of the story is do not be a jerk to your health inspector.” – Matt Regusci “The volume of people is one thing. [...] So now they've got to inspect all these temporary vendors that are gonna come in to be permitted for the World Cup.” – Francine L Shaw We hope you enjoy this episode! Remember to subscribe, rate, and review the podcast on your favorite podcast platform. Together, we can raise awareness and make a positive impact in the world of food safety! Share your thoughts and feedback on the show, and feel free to offer any topics you would like to hear discussed. We'd love to hear from you! 📲 Connect with Francine, Matt, and the "Don't Eat Poop!" show on LinkedIn! 📕 Check out Francine's book Who Watches the Kitchen? 🎙️ BE A GUEST ON DON’T EAT POOP! Fill out this form to tell us more about yourself. We’ll reach out via email within 30 days with next steps if you’re selected. _______ Produced by Ideablossoms

    World Cup Food Safety: 10 Million Visitors & 28 Health Inspectors | Episode 172

  5. Jun 16

    GRAS Additives, the FRESH Act & the Fight Over Food Safety Authority | Episode 171

    🍽️ Francine and Matt are building a global, fun, and inclusive Food Safety Family! From the C-suite to the kitchen, they’re making safe food the norm everywhere. 👉 Follow Francine and Matt on LinkedIn for more food safety insights and updates. The federal government has a plan to overhaul how food chemicals are regulated in America, but the states got there first. In Episode 171 of Don't Eat Poop!, Matt and Francine dig into Dr. David Acheson's opinion piece on who should own authority over GRAS (Generally Recognized as Safe) additives, and whether the proposed FRESH Act is a real solution or just another Band-Aid on a broken system. From California's Prop 65 to a patchwork of 50 different state regulations, the episode unpacks why consistency matters and why trusting the federal government to deliver it is easier said than done. Spoiler alert: If the feds can't get it done, third-party certifications will fill the gap. And that's not necessarily the win consumers are hoping for. In this episode: 00:00:00 Dr. David Acheson: Who Should Own GRAS Authority? 00:07:07 Patchwork Regulation Fails Manufacturers 00:15:55 State vs. Federal Departments 00:20:00 The FRESH Act & Federal Preemption 00:22:21 The Organic Certification Parallel 00:26:52 MAHA & Food Safety Politics Disclaimer: Episode title and content do not constitute legal or health advice. Resources from this episode Take a look at the article we discussed in this episode: GRAS, additives, chemicals: Who should hold the authority? By Dr. David Acheson Food Safety Compliance Chaos: FDA Redactions, Conflicts of Interest & Mango Mayhem | Episode 165 Noteworthy quotes from this episode “ If Clean Label Project ceased to exist because the federal government did their job really, really well, that would be our goal.” – Matt Regusci “Certifications have become so watered down. They don't mean what they once did.” – Francine L Shaw We hope you enjoy this episode! Remember to subscribe, rate, and review the podcast on your favorite podcast platform. Together, we can raise awareness and make a positive impact in the world of food safety! Share your thoughts and feedback on the show, and feel free to offer any topics you would like to hear discussed. We'd love to hear from you! 📲 Connect with Francine, Matt, and the "Don't Eat Poop!" show on LinkedIn! 📕 Check out Francine's book Who Watches the Kitchen? 🎙️ BE A GUEST ON DON’T EAT POOP! Fill out this form to tell us more about yourself. We’ll reach out via email within 30 days with next steps if you’re selected. _______ Produced by Ideablossoms _______

    GRAS Additives, the FRESH Act & the Fight Over Food Safety Authority | Episode 171

  6. Jun 9

    Behind the Scenes of the Food Safety Consortium: Curation, Speakers & 15 Years of Evolution with Rick Biros from Food Safety Tech | Episode 170

    🍽️ Francine and Matt are building a global, fun, and inclusive Food Safety Family! From the C-suite to the kitchen, they’re making safe food the norm everywhere. 👉 Follow Francine and Matt on LinkedIn for more food safety insights and updates. Most conferences just recycle the same speakers on the same topics every year. Food Safety Consortium is trying to do something different, and the process behind it is more rigorous than you might expect. In this episode of Don't Eat Poop!, Matt and Francine sit down with Rick Biros, founder of Food Safety Consortium and Food Safety Tech, to pull back the curtain on what it actually takes to build a food safety conference worth attending. From the call for abstracts to curating diverse panels to scoring speaker submissions on educational value, this is the insider scoop most attendees never get. Spoiler alert: Great food safety conferences don't happen by accident. In this episode: 00:00:00 What Makes the Food Safety Consortium Stand Out 00:06:42 Consortium vs. Food Safety Hazards 00:08:29 The Role of Policy in Food Safety Topics Covered 00:10:25 Speaker Selection: Abstracts, Scoring, Curation 00:16:32 The Submission Numbers 00:18:25 Preview: A Global Food Safety Audit Study 00:23:22 How Different Learning Styles Shape Conference Programming 00:27:19 Rick on Life Outside the Food Safety Conference World Disclaimer: Episode title and content do not constitute legal or health advice. Resources from this episode Connect with Rick Biros here. Take a look at our previous episodes with Rick: Behind the Scenes at the Food Safety Consortium with Rick Biros: Conference Culture, Compliance & Community | Episode 12315 Years of Food Safety Tech: Food Safety Compliance vs Reality with Rick Biros | Episode 161 Use code POOP for 25% off registration for the Food Safety Consortium. Noteworthy quotes from this episode “How do we go to food safety conferences with the first word food and get such awful food? [...] We take great pride in serving good food.” – Rick Biros We hope you enjoy this episode! Remember to subscribe, rate, and review the podcast on your favorite podcast platform. Together, we can raise awareness and make a positive impact in the world of food safety! Share your thoughts and feedback on the show, and feel free to offer any topics you would like to hear discussed. We'd love to hear from you! 📲 Connect with Francine, Matt, and the "Don't Eat Poop!" show on LinkedIn! 📕 Check out Francine's book Who Watches the Kitchen? 🎙️ BE A GUEST ON DON’T EAT POOP! Fill out this form to tell us more about yourself. We’ll reach out via email within 30 days with next steps if you’re selected. _______ Produced by Ideablossoms _______

    Behind the Scenes of the Food Safety Consortium: Curation, Speakers & 15 Years of Evolution with Rick Biros from Food Safety Tech | Episode 170

  7. Jun 2

    Retail & Meal Delivery Food Safety Fails with Michelle Wollenzien from The Food Safety Exchange Podcast | Episode 169

    🍽️ Francine and Matt are building a global, fun, and inclusive Food Safety Family! From the C-suite to the kitchen, they’re making safe food the norm everywhere. 👉 Follow Francine and Matt on LinkedIn for more food safety insights and updates. Food safety failures don’t always start with massive outbreaks or nationwide recalls. Sometimes, they start with a bowl of homemade gumbo sitting in a grocery store display case. In this episode of Don’t Eat Poop!, our hosts Matt and Francine sit down with food safety consultant and Food Safety Exchange host Michelle Wollenzien to unpack decades of retail food safety experience, convenience food risks, meal delivery disasters, food safety culture breakdowns, and why technology is moving faster than food safety compliance. From improperly reheated meal kits to mystery gumbo in a self-service case, this episode dives deep into the real-world chaos happening behind the scenes of prepared foods, retail grocery operations, airline catering, and modern food delivery systems. In this episode: 00:00:00 Meet Food Safety Expert Michelle Wollenzien 00:08:02 Convenience Food Safety Risks 00:14:30 The Homemade Gumbo Food Safety Incident 00:20:08 Foodborne Illness Investigations & Determining Liability 00:25:22 Food Safety Culture Is Dividing Companies 00:29:27 Technology Is Outpacing Food Safety Systems 00:33:16 Labour Shortages in Retail Systems 00:39:19 Food Safety Lessons from Living in Mexico Disclaimer: Episode title and content do not constitute legal or health advice. Resources from this episode Connect with Michelle here.  Take a look at our LinkedIn Live with Michelle here. Check out our episodes with Roger Hancock: Creating a Recall-Ready Food Safety Industry | Episode 42How the FDA Wants YOU to Fix Food Safety Recalls with Roger Hancock, CEO of Recall InfoLink | Episode 126 Noteworthy quotes from this episode “I am all on board with your innovation, great ideas, feeding the public, making it a near restaurant experience, being able to take this prepared food home or have it delivered, or however you choose to do it. But we have to keep in mind our consumers.” – Michelle Wollenzien We hope you enjoy this episode! Remember to subscribe, rate, and review the podcast on your favorite podcast platform. Together, we can raise awareness and make a positive impact in the world of food safety! Share your thoughts and feedback on the show, and feel free to offer any topics you would like to hear discussed. We'd love to hear from you! 📲 Connect with Francine, Matt, and the "Don't Eat Poop!" show on LinkedIn! 📕 Check out Francine's book Who Watches the Kitchen? 🎙️ BE A GUEST ON DON’T EAT POOP! Fill out this form to tell us more about yourself. We’ll reach out via email within 30 days with next steps if you’re selected. _______ Produced by Ideablossoms

    Retail & Meal Delivery Food Safety Fails with Michelle Wollenzien from The Food Safety Exchange Podcast | Episode 169

  8. May 26

    “Not for Human Consumption” Raw Chocolate Milk Controversy | Episode 168

    🍽️ Francine and Matt are building a global, fun, and inclusive Food Safety Family! From the C-suite to the kitchen, they’re making safe food the norm everywhere. 👉 Follow Francine and Matt on LinkedIn for more food safety insights and updates. In this episode of Don’t Eat Poop!, our hosts Matt and Francine dive headfirst into one of the strangest raw milk controversies they’ve seen yet: a Florida dairy selling expensive raw chocolate milk labeled as livestock feed while clearly marketing it to humans. The hosts unpack the food safety, legal liability, and public health implications behind the “pet food loophole” that many raw milk sellers appear to use. The conversation covers everything from Listeria and E. coli risks in raw dairy to whether warning labels actually protect companies from lawsuits. Along the way, Matt and Francine ask the question nobody expected to ask in 2026: Who exactly is buying $15 chocolate milk for livestock? In this episode: 00:00:00 Raw Chocolate Milk Labeled “Not for Human Consumption” 00:09:03 Florida Raw Milk Labeling Loophole 00:11:34 Does a Warning Label Protect Companies from Food Safety Lawsuits? 00:18:36 Contamination Risks in Dairy Operations Disclaimer: Episode title and content do not constitute legal or health advice. Resources from this episode Take a look at the TikTok we’re talking about in this episode from creator Emmy Makela: https://www.tiktok.com/@emsthegirl/video/7629027231888575774?is_from_webapp=1&sender_device=pc&web_id=7608973359876458015  Noteworthy quotes from this episode “Anybody who has livestock knows that they are not providing their livestock with $14.99 half a gallon milk jugs that also have chocolate in them.” – Matt Regusci “I wonder how many people are buying products that say not for human consumption and don't even realize it.” – Francine L Shaw We hope you enjoy this episode! Remember to subscribe, rate, and review the podcast on your favorite podcast platform. Together, we can raise awareness and make a positive impact in the world of food safety! Share your thoughts and feedback on the show, and feel free to offer any topics you would like to hear discussed. We'd love to hear from you! 📲 Connect with Francine, Matt, and the "Don't Eat Poop!" show on LinkedIn! 📕 Check out Francine's book Who Watches the Kitchen? 🎙️ BE A GUEST ON DON’T EAT POOP! Fill out this form to tell us more about yourself. We’ll reach out via email within 30 days with next steps if you’re selected. _______ Produced by Ideablossoms

    “Not for Human Consumption” Raw Chocolate Milk Controversy | Episode 168
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About

Tune in every Tuesday for a brand new episode of Don't Eat Poop! A Food Safety Podcast. Join Francine L. Shaw, the savvy CEO of Savvy Food Safety, and Matthew Regusci, compliance connoisseur and founder of Fostering Compliance, as they serve up the latest in food safety with a side of laughter. Explore the ins and outs of food systems, responsible food practices, and food safety regulations. Stay informed about food safety awareness and the not-so-occasional food recall. Delve deep into the complexities of the food supply chain with our dynamic duo, who blend expert insights with a pinch of food safety humor. Whether you're knee-deep in the food safety industry or just passionate about what's on your plate, this podcast promises a fresh take on staying safe while eating well. Expect candid conversations, personal anecdotes, and occasional guest appearances that spice up the discussion. Shaw and Regusci bring their combined decades of experience to the table, making each episode as informative as it is entertaining. From industry trends to must-know food safety news and regulations, they've got your back (and your lunch). In essence, Don't Eat Poop! A Food Safety Podcast is not just about imparting information; it's about fostering a culture of food safety. By shedding light on the intricacies of the food supply chain and the latest food safety news, it aims to promote awareness and encourage responsible food practices among consumers and industry professionals alike. When it comes to food safety, knowledge is power, and a good laugh is the best seasoning. At the heart of every episode is one golden rule: Don't Eat Poop!

Information

  • Creator
    Food Safety Specialists: Matthew Regusci and Francine L Shaw
  • Years Active
    2023 - 2026
  • Episodes
    177
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © 2026 Food Safety Specialists: Matthew Regusci and Francine L Shaw

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