Boar’s Head Taps Food Safety Expert Frank Yiannas as Chief Food Safety Advisor
Following a deadly Listeria outbreak linked to one of its products, Boar's Head Brand is shoring up its food safety program as it seeks to regain public trust. The Sarasota, Fla.-based company, which previously announced the creation of an advisory food safety council, has officially appointed former FDA Deputy Commissioner Frank Yiannas as its chief food safety advisor.
Among other high-profile roles, Yiannis helped oversee food policy and response at the FDA, where he was a leader in the implementation of the Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA). His extensive food safety background also includes leadership positions at Walmart and Disney, and he continues to work with organizations and agencies as a globally-recognized expert in the field.
He will serve as chief food safety advisor at Boar’s Head on an interim basis, where he will help ensure the organization’s commitment to leading standards of food safety and quality. Yiannas will also spearhead the nationwide search for an expert to succeed him in the position on a permanent basis.
Additionally, Yiannas is chairing the Boar’s Head Food Safety Advisory Council that formed last month. That council includes food safety experts Dr. David Acheson, Dr. Mindy Brashears and Dr. Martin Wiedmann.
“We are continuing to take actions to ensure that we are operating in the safest manner possible across our network of facilities. As part of these efforts, we are pleased to appoint Frank Yiannas as our chief food safety advisor on an interim basis. Mr. Yiannas brings significant food safety and regulatory experience and expertise that will be pivotal in helping us shape our food safety programs going forward,” the company shared in a statement. “By leveraging the council's collective expertise, our aim is to enhance our safety practices and set a new standard for food safety in the industry."
According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control (CDC), the Listeria outbreak traced back to Boar’s Head liverwurst produced in a plant in Jarratt, Va., has led to 59 hospitalizations and 10 deaths so far. The Associated Press reported on Sept. 28 that Boar’s Head faces a legal probe by government officials; victims and their families have also filed suit against the company.
