Ep. 44. Jeremy Zenlea: C-Stores—Food Safety on the Go

Jeremy Zenlea is the director of corporate food safety at Cumberland Farms, Inc. In this role, he oversees all aspects of food safety, including regulatory compliance, retail and commissary food safety operations, and supply chain integrity. Jeremy has worked with a variety of different product categories, including refrigerated, high-risk ready-to-eat foods (meat, poultry, pork, and fresh-cut produce), chocolate, and confectionaries. Due to his diverse background, Jeremy has gained a wide range of knowledge of different food products and is an expert in constructing, implementing, and managing complex food safety and food defense systems for large domestic and international food manufacturers. He is an active member of both the Institute of Food Technologists and the International Association for Food Protection, and enjoys lecturing on food safety at local universities and mentoring other food safety professionals in his spare time. Jeremy received a B.Sc. from the University of Massachusetts-Amherst and an M.B.A from Northeastern University. In this episode of Food Safety Matters, we speak to Jeremy [11:49] about: What makes the convenience store environment different—and more complicated—than more traditional outlets that sell food Why having simple food safety procedures is a plus for all stakeholders Cold chain issues and temperature monitoring What he sees as the biggest threat to food safety in the convenience store setting The difficulties of training and certification for food safety professionals in convenience stores Turnover, foot traffic, and other challenges that convenience stores face Effective communication and establishing a positive food safety culture News Mentioned in This Episode FSAI Now Using New DNA Scanning Tool to Identify Food Ingredients [2:37]; FSAI press release  FDA Commissioner Scott Gottlieb to Resign [4:33]  California Must Abandon 535,000 Acres of Prized Farmland to Meet Water Conservation Goals [7:39]  Barbara's GFSI Recap [10:13] Keep Up with Food Safety Magazine Follow Us on Twitter @FoodSafetyMag and on Facebook  Subscribe to our magazine and our biweekly eNewsletter We Want to Hear From You! Please share your comments, questions, and suggestions. Tell us about yourself—we'd love to hear about your food safety challenges and successes. We want to get to you know you! Here are a few ways to be in touch with us. Email us at [email protected] Record a voice memo on your phone and email it to us at [email protected]