Hello Friend,

The past month has been full of activity with finals and student presentations on various topics related to food and nutrition. To learn more about the exciting topics our students have researched, please check out the section below on Graduate Student Presentations. 

It is also hard to believe that summer is right around the corner and I’m happy to report that IFSAN has some great summer programming lined up! We will be hosting a virtual event for World Food Safety Day on June 5 and a one-day course for Certified Food Protection Managers on June 9 – registration details will be announced soon. IFSAN faculty will also be offering courses on nutrition, sustainable food systems and data visualization – details are provided below. Finally, IFSAN will be hosting several practicum students this summer and plans to launch a new opportunities section on our website soon!

Enjoy the warm weather, 

Barb Kowalcyk

Warm weather + food + fun = the perfect recipe for a picnic, but also a risk for foodborne illness. As temperatures rise, bacteria thrive — so it’s essential to handle food safely every step of the way, from your fridge to the picnic table. Here's how to stay food safe all picnic season long: 

 ✔ Pack It Right, Keep It Cold

- Store cold food at or below 40°F using coolers with ice or frozen gel packs.

- Pack beverages and perishables in separate coolers — this reduces how often perishable items are exposed to warm air.

- Limit cooler openings to keep contents cold longer.

 ✔ Prep Produce Properly

-Wash all fruits and veggies under running water — even those with inedible rinds.

-Dry with a clean towel and pack in sanitized containers.

 ✔ Hand Hygiene on the Go

- No running water? Use water jugs, soap, and paper towels, or moist towelettes for clean hands before handling food.

 ✔ Grill Smart & Serve Safe

- Marinate in the refrigerator only — never outdoors.

- Use a food thermometer to ensure meats reach safe internal temperatures.

- Don’t reuse marinades or utensils that touched raw meat.

- Keep cooked food hot on the grill (but off direct heat) until served.

- Use clean platters — never put cooked food back where raw food was.

 ✔ Watch the Danger Zone

- Keep cold foods cold and hot foods hot.

- Don’t let food sit out for more than 2 hours (or 1 hour if above 90°F). This helps prevent bacteria from multiplying rapidly in the “Danger Zone” (between 40°F–140°F).

FDA Guide for Handling Food Safely While Eating Outdoors: https://www.fda.gov/food/buy-store-serve-safe-food/handling-food-safely-while-eating-outdoors

Under the updated ”healthy” claim, nutrient-dense foods that are encouraged by the Dietary Guidelines – vegetables, fruits, whole grains, fat-free and low-fat dairy, lean game meat, seafood, eggs, beans, peas, lentils, nuts, and seeds – with no added ingredients except for water, automatically qualify for the “healthy” claim because of their nutrient profile and positive contribution to an overall healthy diet. Under the updated claim, foods such as water, avocados, nuts and seeds, higher fat fish, such as salmon, and olive oil will now qualify to use the “healthy” claim. These include many varieties of these foods that fit into a range of budgets, for example, fruits, vegetables, and fish that are either fresh, frozen, or canned. Examples of products that qualified for “healthy” under the original claim that do not qualify under the updated claim include fortified white bread, highly sweetened yogurt, and highly sweetened cereal.

Read more here!

 

On June 5th, IFSAN will be hosting a webinar about food safety and the critical role of surveillance and outbreak detection, investigation and response. More Details to come. If you are interested in receiving more information, please fill out this form. 

Certified Food Protection Manager (CFPM) Certification Course
Hosted by the Institute for Food Safety and Nutrition Security (IFSAN)

Date: June 9th
Time: 9:00 AM – 6:30 PM
Location: Milken Institute School of Public Health
950 New Hampshire Ave NW, Washington, DC 20052

This comprehensive course is tailored for individuals working in retail or food operation establishments. Participants will: 

Cost: (includes training and exam)

If interested in attending, please share your name and email to receive a registration link.

Disclaimer: The Institute for Food Safety and Nutrition Security reserves the right to cancel the class due to insufficient enrollment. 

IFSAN is introducing an exciting new opportunity for undergraduate students interested in research. The Student Research Experience in Food Safety and Nutrition Security (SEEDS) will be launching this fall semester. Students who complete the program will receive a $500 award and IFSAN-affiliated faculty advisors will also receive $500. More information can be found here; the deadline for applying for the Autumn 2025 semester is May 31. If you have any questions in the meantime, please contact ifsan@gwu.edu and include "SEEDS" in the subject line for more information. 

Katya Cronin is an Associate Professor in the Fundamentals of Lawyering program at George Washington University and a core faculty member of IFSAN. Professor Cronin’s research lies at the intersection of food law and policy, health law, and environmental law. Her recent scholarship focuses on issues such as food contamination from environmental pollutants and the impact of climate change on food safety. She is also a frequent invited speaker at food and agricultural events across the United States and Europe.

To learn more about Professor Cronin’s work, read her article "Bystanders to a Public Health Crisis," published in May 2024, which explores the infiltration of foods by pre- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) and examines possible mechanisms to reduce consumer exposure to these widespread synthetic chemicals.

Looking ahead, Professor Cronin's article, "A One Health Approach to Healthy Food," will appear in the Brooklyn Law Review's Fall 2025 volume. Additionally, her forthcoming article, "Unequal Burdens: How the Food as Medicine Movement Exposes Critical Gaps in FDA’s Safety Review," will be published in the American Journal of Law and Medicine in Winter 2025.

Drs. Karina Lora and Carmen Ortega-Santos will co-teach Introduction to Nutrition (PUBH 6699) during Week 2 (June 9–13) of the GWSPH Summer Institute.

This course is designed to deepen students' understanding of how nutrients are digested, absorbed, and metabolized by the human body, while detailing the unique roles of essential nutrients in metabolism and overall health. Using a biocultural perspective, the course integrates cultural and nutritional considerations to provide a more holistic view of human nutrition.

Please note: The course will be taught entirely in Spanish.

Dr. Moses Kansanga will be teaching Sustainable Food Systems (GEOG 3275) during GW's first summer session from May 19 -June 28.  

This course explores how our food systems impact the environment by examining the complex interactions between humans and food. Special emphasis will be placed on the social and environmental sustainability of these interactions, highlighting the challenges and opportunities in creating more sustainable food systems 

Do You Want to Master Data Visualization with R? Enroll in PUBH 6199 This Summer! Do you want to transform data into impactful and interactive visual stories? Join PUBH 6199: Visualizing Data – From Principles to Interactive Dashboards with R this summer and gain the skills to create compelling data visualizations that drive evidence-based decision-making in public health. This 2-credit graduate course will teach you: core design principles for effective and ethical data visualization, hands-on skills in R to create both static and web-based interactive visualizations, techniques for visualizing geospatial data and advanced graph types like Sankey diagrams, how to develop interactive dashboards using R Shiny.

This course is perfect for students eager to enhance their data storytelling capabilities. Proficiency in R is required—if you're unsure about prerequisites, reach out to Dr. Xindi Hu at xindi.hu@gwu.edu.

Course Schedule: Tuesdays & Thursdays, 3:10 – 5:10 PM (Summer I 2025) 

Graduate students in the Public Health Nutrition and Physical Activity in Public Health MPH programs, housed within the Exercise and Nutrition Science Department, will present their Culminating Experience (CE) projects on Thursday, May 1, from 10:00 AM to 2:00 PM.

IFSAN Core Faculty, Dr. Talegawkar and Dr. Hedrick, are serving as mentors to students presenting their projects. The CE project topics include:

Milken Institute School of Public Health School Celebration for Spring 2025 graduates will commence on Thursday, May 15, 2025! Join us in celebrating our IFSAN students and faculty! 

Bringing Global Food Safety Standards to Local Food Systems

Coconut is not longer a major allergen, but it does need to be declared in the ingredient statement. 

A deadly E. coli outbreak hit 15 states, but the FDA chose not to make the details public

 

We want you to stay informed about the latest recalls, market withdrawals, and outbreaks - some of the January recalls are listed below. Visit FDA and USDA for the most up-to-date information. 

Harvest NYC Inc Recalls Enoki Mushroom Due to Possible Health Risk

Blue Ridge Beef Issues Voluntary Recall of Blue Ridge Beef Puppy Mix and Kitten Mix Due to Salmonella & Listeria Contamination

Duda Farm Fresh Foods, Inc. Issues Advisory for 1,587 Cases of 4 in/1.6 oz Bundle Marketside Celery Sticks Because of Possible Health Risk

Tony's Chocolonely Recalls Two Chocolate Products Because They May Contain Small Stones

On April 24th, the Salmonella Framework for Raw Poultry Products has been withdrawn from the USDA regulatory docket, a development that comes as a significant disappointment to IFSAN and the Poultry Coalition—a group of experts representing consumer organizations, industry, trade groups, and academia. In January, the coalition submitted an 11-page document in support of regulatory measures to reduce Salmonella in raw poultry products, grounded in evidence-based science. Despite this setback, IFSAN and other coalition members remain firmly committed to advocating for the adoption of effective, science-driven policies to reduce Salmonella contamination and advance food safety.

This recipe provides a delightful dairy-free option for creamy dips.

Ingredients: - 1/4 C Canola Oil - 2 scallions, thinly sliced - 1 tbsp fresh ginger, finely grated - 1 jalapeño, seeded and finely chopped - 1 lb frozen baby peas (about 3 C), thawed - 3 tbsp yellow miso

Instructions: 1. Heat the canola oil in a large skillet over moderate heat. Add the scallions, ginger, and jalapeño, sautéing for about 1 minute or until fragrant. 2. Incorporate the thawed peas and stir occasionally until they become tender, roughly 3 minutes. 3. Transfer the cooked pea mixture to a food processor and allow it to cool slightly. Add the yellow miso and 1/4 C of water, then blend until smooth. 4. Pour the mixture into a shallow container and refrigerate. This dip can be made in advance and stored in a sealed container for up to 3 days.

 Recipe is from Food & Wine Annual Cookbook:  An Entire Year of Recipes, 2011

QMRA Postdoctoral Research Scholar, University of Florida, Deadline: 06/01/2025

Development Manager, Center for Food Safety, Based in the San Francisco Bay Area, Deadline: N/A

Nutrition Education Specialist, Capital Area Food Bank, Based in Washington, D.C., Deadline: N/A

Program Manager Opportunity, Local Food Initiatives for Nutrition, United Way of New York, Based in New York City, NY, Deadline: N/A

Post Doctoral Scholar- Food Connection- University of Kentucky, Based in Lexington, KY, Deadline: N/A  

FOUNDATION COORDINATOR - National Grocers Association, Based in Washington, D.C, Deadline: 07/21/2025 

NASDA Policy Intern ,  National Association of State Departments of Agriculture, Based in Arlington, VA, Deadline: 07/21/2025

SCHOOL FOOD INSTITUTE AND THE LUNCH BOX COORDINATOR, Chef Ann Foundation, Based in Boulder, CO, Deadline: 05/27/2025

Sustainability Data & Communications Intern - Once Upon a Farm, Remote, Deadline: N/A  

If you have ideas you would like to see in the newsletter, please submit them to: ifsan@gwu.edu