Colin Barnacle is Senior Counsel in Holland &
Knight's
Denver office
Over the past several years, being on the "front page"
has taken on a new meaning. It used to signify being the next Wall
Street pundit and foodie darling – the up-and-coming food
rage or a successful initial public offering (IPO). Today, however,
it can just as easily signify a national food safety crisis.
With food consumers demanding more fresh, natural, organic and
farm-to-fork options, the risks of pathogen infiltration and
food-borne illness grow exponentially. As demand skyrockets, the
onus falls squarely on food retailers and restaurateurs to up their
food safety game. With the legal and regulatory changes brought by
the new Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA), the legal risks and
consequences associated with a pathogenic outbreak (e.g.,
salmonella, E. coli and listeria) are severe. In fact, anyone who
handles, buys or sells food, and certainly anyone who prepares and
serves food to
