When foodborne illness becomes a life sentence, who carries the burden?

In this gut-wrenching episode of Don’t Eat Poop!, our hosts Matt and Francine share the devastating story of John Trahar - a once-vibrant entrepreneur now reduced to a shadow of himself after a listeria infection caused bacterial meningitis. It's not just about pathogens and paperwork; it's about people. This episode puts a very real, very human face on why preventing foodborne illness isn't optional.

In this episode:

💩 [05:20] Introduction to Bill Marler

💩 [05:57] Listeria strikes again: backstory on the Mexico potato connection

💩 [07:54] The devastating effects of listeria

💩 [14:32] What bacterial meningitis means for a human body

💩 [19:00] John’s wife’s emotional reality

💩 [22:10] Family fallout: Impact on their teenage son and family business

💩 [28:43] Where's the FDA? Lingering questions about traceback and accountability

💩 [30:51] Why storytelling matters in food safety culture

Disclaimer: Episode title and content do not constitute legal or health advice.

Resources from this episode

Check out Bill Marler’s blog: https://www.marlerblog.com/

The case that we’re talking about today: https://www.marlerblog.com/case-news/a-tragic-listeria-illness-and-the-search-for-the-cause/

Noteworthy quotes from this episode

“ Dying from listeria is probably one of the worst ways to die. [...] It's perpetual pain.” – Matt Regusci

“ I wouldn’t want to live with listeria. I would prefer to die.” – Francine L Shaw

We hope you enjoy this episode!

Remember to subscribe, rate, and review the podcast on your favorite podcast platform. Together, we can raise awareness and make a positive impact in the world of food safety!

Share your thoughts and feedback on the show, and feel free to offer any topics you would like to hear discussed.

We'd love to hear from you!

📲 Connect with Francine, Matt, and the "Don't Eat Poop!" show on LinkedIn!

📕 Check out Francine's book Who Watches the Kitchen? on Amazon!

🎙️ BE A GUEST ON DON’T EAT POOP!

Fill out this form to tell us more about yourself. We’ll reach out via email within 30 days with next steps if you’re selected.

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Produced by Ideablossoms

When a fired Disney employee went full villain and hacked into the company's menu system, the consequences weren’t just petty - they were potentially deadly.

In this episode of Don’t Eat Poop!, our hosts Matt and Francine dive headfirst into the bizarre true story of a rogue ex-employee who changed prices, dropped profanities, and worst of all, tampered with allergen info on Disney’s restaurant menus.

From food defense to the overlooked cybersecurity risks in food service, this is one story where food safety, tech, and a little insanity collide.

In this episode:

💩 [05:19] A fired Disney employee hacks into Disney’s menus

💩 [09:12] From paternity leave to felony charges

💩 [11:44] How allergen tampering crosses a deadly line

💩 [14:21] Trying to understand the motives behind the menu hacking

💩 [16:41] Software security failures and food safety

💩 [21:24] Who should have access to menu allergens?

💩 [24:06] Understanding the severity of allergen tampering

Disclaimer: Episode title and content do not constitute legal or health advice.

Resources from this episode

Find the past episode on hacking and food safety here: Some Growing Food Safety Threats That Most Don’t Think About But Can Gravely Affect Your Facility | Episode 116

Noteworthy quotes from this episode

“ I don't think they would've thrown the book at him as much as they did until he started jacking with allergens because that's changing it from a bad prank [...] to manslaughter.” – Matt Regusci

“ I understand being angry, but the things that he did went beyond hurting the company. [...] Some of them could have killed people.” – Francine L Shaw

We hope you enjoy this episode!

Remember to subscribe, rate, and review the podcast on your favorite podcast platform. Together, we can raise awareness and make a positive impact in the world of food safety!

Share your thoughts and feedback on the show, and feel free to offer any topics you would like to hear discussed.

We'd love to hear from you!

📲 Connect with Francine, Matt, and the "Don't Eat Poop!" show on LinkedIn!

📕 Check out Francine's book Who Watches the Kitchen? on Amazon!

🎙️ BE A GUEST ON DON’T EAT POOP!

Fill out this form to tell us more about yourself. We’ll reach out via email within 30 days with next steps if you’re selected.

_______

Produced by Ideablossoms

Is your wheat toast a weapon waiting to happen?

In this eye-opening episode of the Don't Eat Poop!, our hosts Francine and Matt unpack a disturbing real-world threat: the smuggling of a biological weapon-grade fungus into the U.S. food system.

From fusarium head blight to potential global famine, they connect the dots between agroterrorism, supply chain vulnerabilities, and why food safety professionals need to think like defense strategists. It’s not paranoia, it’s preparedness.

In this episode:

💩 [04:38] Francine and Matt recap their global webinar on the future of food safety

💩 [05:11] Bioterrorism: Why internal threats are often more dangerous than external ones

💩 [06:55] The case of the Chinese doctoral students smuggling fusarium head blight (FHB) into U.S. labs

💩 [08:52] A breakdown of FHB’s economic and food security impact

💩 [13:37] Global catastrophe potential: How disrupting the Western Hemisphere’s grain supply could trigger a worldwide famine

💩 [17:25] Could bioterrorism reverse decades of food production efficiency?

💩 [22:55] What food producers and processors can (and can’t) do

💩 [31:50] Why training and trust alone won’t cut it

Disclaimer: Episode title and content do not constitute legal or health advice.

Resources from this episode

Check out this past episode on food terrorism: Some Growing Food Safety Threats That Most Don’t Think About But Can Gravely Affect Your Facility | Episode 116

Noteworthy quotes from this episode

“ I don't think we have to have a nuclear war in order to kill every human being in the United States. A bioterrorist war would do it,” – Matt Regusci

“ I truly believed that everybody just operated to the best of their ability and cared about what they served and how they served it. It was so eye-opening for me when I became an inspector and realized that that was not the case.” – Francine L Shaw

We hope you enjoy this episode!

Remember to subscribe, rate, and review the podcast on your favorite podcast platform. Together, we can raise awareness and make a positive impact in the world of food safety!

Share your thoughts and feedback on the show, and feel free to offer any topics you would like to hear discussed.

We'd love to hear from you!

📲 Connect with Francine, Matt, and the "Don't Eat Poop!" show on LinkedIn!

📕 Check out Francine's book Who Watches the Kitchen? on Amazon!

🎙️ BE A GUEST ON DON’T EAT POOP!

Fill out this form to tell us more about yourself. We’ll reach out via email within 30 days with next steps if you’re selected.

_______

Produced by Ideablossoms