Webinar on food safety future: learning from recalls
Canada has one of the strongest food safety systems but recent recalls are creating doubts in consumer minds. A recent webinar on food safety took a deep dive into recent food recalls in Canada, examined the root causes, regulatory and compliance issues, and the overall impact on the industry. Preventive measures to enhance your food safety practices were also discussed. The panelists also explored emerging technologies that can help enhance your food safety programs.
Speakers
Amanda Cox, Director of Food Safety & Quality Assurance, Maple Leaf Foods
Amanda Cox is an accomplished professional in the food safety and quality assurance sector, currently serving as director of food safety and quality assurance at Maple Leaf Foods. Prior to Maple Leaf Foods, she was director of food safety and quality for Pinnacle Foods and Fiji Water and served in various food safety and quality roles at HJ Heinz and Hormel. She holds a bachelor’s degree in food science from Purdue University.
Dr. Amy Proulx, Professor, Niagara College
Dr. Amy Proulx is professor & academic program co-ordinator of culinary innovation and food technology at Niagara College. Her academic specialization is in innovation and change management practices for food safety and food manufacturing systems. She is the founder of the NSERC-funded Technology Access Centre for Food and Beverage Innovation at Niagara College, which supports small business capacity building for innovation. Her current research focuses on curriculum development and CBET application for agriculture and food skills development for the climate change transformation.
Laurent Dallaire, CEO & Co-founder of Innodal
Laurent Dallaire is the CEO and co-founder of Innodal, a company dedicated to developing and producing innovative solutions to inhibit microbiological pathogens. With a background in biotechnological engineering from the University of Sherbrooke and a master’s degree in food science from Laval University, Dallaire combines technical expertise with entrepreneurial vision. Following his academic journey, he founded Innodal to address food safety challenges with innovative, science-backed solutions. His work focuses on bridging the gap between academic research and practical applications in the food industry, helping manufacturers improve safety, extend shelf life, and reduce recalls. His company, Innodal, has won several entrepreneurship and innovation competitions, including the prestigious Innovation Award from the Governor General of Canada in 2024.
Meghan Griffin, Acting Manager, Office of Food Safety and Recall, CFIA
Meghan Griffin is acting manager, process management and liaison, Office of Food Safety and Recall, Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA). Griffin has a bachelor’s degree in biology from Carleton University. Following the completion of her honours project in an HIV/virology lab at the Public Agency of Canada, she started her career at Health Canada as a scientific evaluator in 2009. She worked on microbiological health risk assessments and drafted policies and regulatory documents on food safety. Griffin later joined CFIA as food safety and recall specialist. For these past eight years, she has been leading and co-ordinating food safety investigation and outbreak response, working with other federal, provincial and internal partners.
As climate change continues to impact our environment, it is crucial to understand the measures required to maintain the safety of our food production. Our experts delved into the systemic changes required to prevent large-scale outbreaks and maintain a robust food safety system. Moderated by Food in Canada’s award-winning editor, Nithya Caleb, participants gained valuable insights from a distinguished panel of experts.
