Diamantas and Choiniere: FDA Focuses on Produce Safety, MAHA, Culture, and More

Kyle Diamantas, J.D. is the Deputy Commissioner for Human Foods at the U.S. Food and Drug Administration's (FDA's) Human Foods Program (HFP), where he oversees all FDA nutrition and food safety activities. As FDA's top food executive, Mr. Diamantas sets the strategic direction and operations for food policy in the U.S., while serving as a critical liaison between FDA, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), and the White House. He also represents the agency on food activities and matters in dealings with foreign governments and international organizations.

Mr. Diamantas has extensive experience working with various federal and state agencies and policy-makers, scientific organizations, consumer advocacy groups, and industry stakeholders. He has wide-ranging experience on matters spanning regulatory, compliance, investigative, enforcement, rulemaking, and legislation. He holds a J.D. from the University of Florida Levin College of Law and a bachelor's degree in pre-law political science from the University of Central Florida.

Conrad Choiniere, Ph.D. is the Director of the Office of Microbiological Food Safety (OMFS) at FDA’s HFP. OMFS uses a risk management approach to evaluate and determine priorities that will help reduce the burden of pathogen-related foodborne illness in foods regulated by FDA, leads the development of risk-based policies, provides regulatory oversight, and recommends research priorities related to microbiological food safety. Dr. Choiniere joined FDA in 2003. He has a Ph.D. in Agricultural and Resource Economics from the University of Maryland and a B.S. degree in Chemical Engineering from Johns Hopkins University.

In this episode of Food Safety Matters, we speak with Mr. Diamantas and Dr. Choiniere [3:09] about:

• Mr. Diamantas’ background and his responsibilities as Deputy Commissioner for Human Foods, a role that he assumed in February
• The evolution of Mr. Choiniere’s role at FDA since the structural reorganization that led to the creation of the new HFP, and how the OMFS within the HFP works to ensure food safety and protect public health
• Key issues to be addressed at HFP and potential changes to the program projected for the next 2–3 years
• Ways in which food safety culture influences the function and operation of the HFP
• How the HFP contributes to the broader goals of the “Make America Healthy Again” (MAHA) initiative led by HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.
• Ongoing efforts to collaborate with industry to improve p