logo
episode-header-image
Apr 2025
1h 12m

Ep. 191. Dr. Edward Dudley: Wastewater M...

FOOD SAFETY MAGAZINE
About this episode

Edward G. Dudley, Ph.D. is the Director of the E. coli Reference Center and a Professor of Food Science at the Pennsylvania State University. He has a broad background in molecular biology, physiology, and foodborne bacteria genomics, with expertise in both beneficial and pathogenic species. His current research program focuses on factors that drive the virulence of Escherichia coli O157:H7 and the development of DNA sequence-based methods for tracking pathogen spread during foodborne illness outbreaks, including wastewater monitoring.

Dr. Dudley is a past Chair of the Food Microbiology Division of the American Society of Microbiology (ASM), the Food Microbiology Representative to ASM's Council of Microbial Sciences, and a previous member of ASM's Microbe Program Committee. In 2019, he was appointed an ASM Distinguished Lecturer and Co-Editor of the Evolution and Genomics domain for ASM's online journal, EcoSal Plus. He was also elected to the American Academy of Microbiology in 2023. Dr. Dudley holds a Ph.D. in Bacteriology and an M.S. degree in Food Science, both from the University of Wisconsin–Madison.

In this episode of Food Safety Matters, we speak with Dr. Dudley [35:17] about:

  • A study conducted by Dr. Dudley’s lab that investigated the usefulness of wastewater monitoring for surveillance of foodborne Salmonella illnesses
  • How whole genome sequencing (WGS) was used to link Salmonella isolates from wastewater systems in central Pennsylvania to an existing salmonellosis outbreak
  • The significance of discovering the rare S. Baildon serotype in the wastewater samples
  • How wastewater monitoring activities could fill gaps created when foodborne illnesses go underreported by infected people, as well as the potential limitations of wastewater monitoring for foodborne illness surveillance
  • Other foodborne pathogens besides Salmonella that could be surveilled via wastewater monitoring
  • Apart from the Salmonella wastewater monitoring study, various research projects carried out by Dr. Dudley’s lab related to E. coli.

Before we speak to Dr. Dudley, we also hear from Patrick Schneider [25:37], Vice President of Operations and Engineering (Chlorine Dioxide) at CDG Environmental LLC. In his interview, he discusses the usefulness of chlorine dioxide for food plant sanitation, and what makes CDG Solution 3000TM the “gold standard in chlorine dioxide solutions.” Prior to joining CDG Environmental, Mr. Schneider spent 35 years holding various global roles in the oil and gas industry. He holds a B.S. degree in Petroleum Engineering from Penn State University.

News and Resources

News

FDA Delays FSMA 204 Traceability Rule Compliance Date by 30 Months [4:02]
FDA Launches ‘Operation Stork Speed’ to Improve Infant Formula Safety, Including Contaminant Testing [11:08]
Thousands More Layoffs Coming to FDA, CDC as HHS Announces Major Restructuring [12:06]
Microplastics Increase Antibiotic Resistance of E. coli, Aid Biofilm Formation, Study Shows [18:12]Proposed Rule Would Require Mandatory Labeling on Alcoholic Beverages for Big 9 Food Allergens [22:35]
Trump Admin Nominates CDC Acting Director Dr. Susan Monarez as Agency’s Next Director [23:10]
Boar’s Head Appoints Natalie Dyenson as Chief Food Safety Officer [24:09]

Resources

Get 20 percent off your 2025 Food Safety Summit registration with code “FSMatters20
Wastewater Monitoring Can Aid Foodborne Illness Surveillance, Study Shows
Wastewater Surveillance Useful for Norovirus Outbreak Detection

Presenting Sponsor:

CDG Environmental

Visit CDG Environmental at Booth #333 at the 2025 Food Safety Summit!

We Want to Hear from You!
Please send us your questions and suggestions to podcast@food-safety.com

Up next
Sep 23
Ep. 202. Dr. Kathy Knutson: What Does a Robust Environmental Monitoring Program Look Like?
Kathy Knutson, Ph.D., PCQI, is educated in bacteriology, food science, and education. She speaks, writes, and trains on compliance for the Food and Drug Administration's (FDA's) Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA). She has trained over 500 Preventive Controls Qualified Individua ... Show More
1h 23m
Sep 9
Ep. 201. Mick Dutcher: The Work of FDA OII's Food Products Inspectorate
In this episode of Food Safety Matters, we speak with Dr. Dutcher [38:31] about: The internal structure of the Food Products Inspectorate (FPI) within FDA’s OII OII’s role and responsibilities for inspecting human foods at FDA, including examples of frontline activities How the F ... Show More
1h 1m
Aug 26
Ep. 200: A Celebration of Food Safety Matters Podcast History
In this special 200th episode of Food Safety Matters, our hosts look back at the podcast’s eight-year history, sharing their stories and experiences, as well as reviewing some of the show’s most memorable episodes and guests. Resources Ep. 1. Dave Theno: No One Cooks Their Salad ... Show More
1h 15m
Recommended Episodes
Sep 2022
Inside food safety scares
Food contamination is a serious public health problem around the world. The World Health Organisation estimates that 600 million – almost 1 in 10 people in the world – fall ill after eating contaminated food and 420,000 die every year. In this episode, Ruth Alexander speaks to so ... Show More
29m 40s
Jun 2025
What's up with Refrigerant & System Regulations w/ Copeland
In this insightful episode of the HVAC School podcast, host Bryan sits down with Jennifer Butsch, Director of Regulatory Affairs at Copeland, to discuss the rapidly evolving regulatory environment affecting the HVAC industry. With eight years of experience at Copeland and a backg ... Show More
33m 8s
Oct 2024
07/10/24 Charges for abattoir inspections, water management
Plans to get abattoirs to take on more of the cost of vets and meat inspectors are "excessive and dangerous" according to the meat industry. The Association of Independent Meat Suppliers, (AIMS) which represents both big and small slaughterhouses, says the Food Standards Agency's ... Show More
12m 3s
Mar 2025
Why is red food dye banned?
#208 Melissa and Jam dive deep into the topic of FDA regulations, particularly focusing on food additives like red food dye. They discuss the complexities of the FDA's approval process, the Delaney Clause, and recent changes in the regulation of red dye number 3, which has been b ... Show More
33m 49s
Aug 20
The science of making fruits and veggies last longer | Jenny Du
It's a hard nut to crack: in order to prevent food waste, we rely on plastic packaging and refrigeration, which harm the environment. What if we could turn to nature to address these challenges? Engineer and chemist Jenny Du shares how a simple plant-based innovation — using the ... Show More
13m 32s
Jun 2017
Jennifer Lavers – Ocean Plastic, Marine Conservation and Birdlife (Plastic Sucks Part 2)
Dr. Jennifer Lavers sees seabirds as sentinels of marine health. Are we listening to what they're telling us? Her work as a scientist attached to the University of Tasmania's Institute for Marine and Antarctic Studies focuses on birdlife, but recently she's been looking to art an ... Show More
49m 13s
Nov 2024
Carbon conscious cooking for the future
Our volatile climate will impact the way we cook and the way we eat. And so, farming needs to adapt, eating needs to adapt, and how we cook, will also need to adapt.   In this episode of the Science Behind Your Salad, Jane Craigie explores the world of carbon farming: how can we ... Show More
31m 48s
Aug 2024
Matthew Archer, "Unsustainable: Measurement, Reporting, and the Limits of Corporate Sustainability" (NYU Press, 2024)
In recent years, companies have felt the pressure to be transparent about their environmental impact. Large documents containing summaries of yearly emissions rates, carbon output, and utilized resources are shared on companies’ social media pages, websites, and employee briefing ... Show More
42m 18s
Sep 26
Interview: The plant-based coating that is eliminating food spoilage | Jenny Du
If food waste were a country, it’d be the third highest emitter of greenhouse gas emissions after China and the US, says Apeel Senior VP of Operations Jenny Du. Following her talk at TED2025, Du sits down for a conversation with host Sherrell Dorsey on how her lab is creating pla ... Show More
20m 51s