U of A, FDA sponsor food defense workshop
May 21 , 2007Contact Information:
Steve Seideman, Department of Food Science, 479-575-4221, seideman@uark.edu
Howell Medders, Agricultural Communication Services, 479-575-5647, hmedders@uark.edu
FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. -- Rod Wheeler, a food defense specialist who has appeared on national television to report on undercover investigations in food processing plants, will speak at the Advanced Food Defense Workshop Thursday, May 24, at the University of Arkansas Center for Continuing Education.
The public is invited, at no charge, to hear Wheeler speak on the topic, "The First Line of Defense - You," from 9-10:30 a.m. Thursday. His talk is part of a two-day advanced registration conference for food industry workers.
Steve Seideman, a food science specialist with the U of A System's Division of Agriculture, said the workshop is sponsored by the UA Department of Food Science and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.
Wheeler and others who specialize in food defense programs and research in industry, government and universities, will speak on vulnerability assessment, crisis management, recalls, the federal bioterrorism act and related topics, Seideman said.
Wheeler, of Washington, D.C., is the former director of food security and emergency preparedness with the Food Products Association. He served with corporate security and safety management for Boston Market and was a fraud investigator in Washington. He has made more than 300 appearances as a food security expert on Fox News, Court TV and MSNBC. He has a B.A. degree in criminology and a master's degree in administration.