Ep. 188. Dr. Kimberly Baker: Educating Small Manufacturers on Food Safety Compliance and Best Practices

Kimberly Baker, Ph.D. serves as the Food Systems and Safety Program Team Director and an Associate Extension Specialist with the Clemson University Cooperative Extension Service. She received her Ph.D. in Food Technology from Clemson University and is both a registered and licensed dietitian, as well as a trained chef.

Since joining Clemson Extension in 2007 as a Food Safety and Nutrition Agent in Greenville County, Dr. Baker has become a leading authority in food safety and education. She is a certified Seafood HACCP Trainer and Instructor, a Food Safety Preventive Controls Lead Instructor for both Human and Animal Food, a certified Produce Safety Alliance Lead Trainer, and a ServSafe® Instructor/Proctor.

Dr. Baker is passionate about empowering others through education. She leverages her extensive expertise to teach home food preservation, promote consumer food safety, and support food entrepreneurs in achieving their goals.

In this episode of Food Safety Matters, we speak with Dr. Baker [33:43] about:

• Her work at Clemson Extension educating growers and manufacturers on how to prevent contamination and product recalls, as well as conducting root cause analysis on actual recall events
• How Dr. Baker collaborates with federal and South Carolina State regulatory agencies to prevent foodborne illnesses and to promote and advance food safety
• Specific strategies for mitigating contamination of ready-to-eat foods by Listeria monocytogenes and other pathogens
• Best practices to help industry avoid product recalls
• The Food2Market program, a Clemson Extension program developed by Dr. Baker that provides education and technical assistance to food producers related to food safety regulations and processes
• What the South Carolina Home-Based Food Production Law is, and how Clemson Extension helps producers navigate and comply with the law
• Education for home-based food producers and small entrepreneurs on allergen cross-contact and labeling, corrective actions in the face of food safety incidents, and recall management.

News and Resources

News

FDA Leader Jim Jones Resigns After 89 ‘Indiscriminate’ Firings in Human Foods Program [3:45]
National Food Safety Strategy Would Help Reduce Foodborne Illness in U.S., GAO Suggests [10:22]
House Bill Aims to Block USDA From Implementing Stricter Standards for Salmonella in Raw Poultry [20:58]
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