Event Details

This multi-presentation webinar will provide a comprehensive examination of Salmonella contamination in low moisture foods, with emphasis on emerging scientific insights and recent large scale outbreak investigations in Canada. The first presentation will outline the unique challenges associated with detecting and controlling Salmonella in low water activity matrices such as seeds and spices. Drawing on multiple Canadian outbreak events, the presentation will provide current research on pathogen behavior, advances in detection methodologies, and mitigation strategies applicable to food preparation and processing.

Subsequent presentations will address the multi jurisdictional investigation of multi strain Salmonella outbreak linked to pistachios. Speakers will outline the scope and complexity of this investigation—highlighting the epidemiological findings, extensive product sampling and numerous recalls.

Presentations will provide information on the coordinated risk management actions taken, including targeted recalls, enhanced import controls, public communications, and ultimately a ban on pistachio imports from Iran. Together, these presentations will provide both scientific insight and real world lessons on outbreak response, risk mitigation, and protecting public health in the context of low moisture food safety. Detailed abstracts and learning objectives for each presentation are available at https://www.ffigs.ca/.

By the end of this event, participants will be able to:

• Describe the unique challenges associated with detection, characterization and control of Salmonella in low-moisture food.
• Identify effective mitigation strategies and intervention points applicable throughout the production, processing and preparation of low-moistures food.
• Explain the investigative approaches used by Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) and the Public Health Agency of Canada (PHAC) during the multi-jurisdictional, multi-strain Salmonella outbreak associated to pistachios from Iran.
• Summarize the epidemiological findings, risk-management actions, and operational challenges encountered during the large-scale outbreak response.

Dr. Sandeep Tamber, PhD is a food microbiologist, working as a research scientist at Health Canada’s Food and Nutrition Directorate. Her research is dedicated to reducing foodborne illness through the study of Salmonella in foods. She is particularly interested in pathogen behavior, the development of improved detection methodology, and issues related to antimicrobial resistance. Dr. Tamber has authored numerous peer-reviewed publications, serves on several editorial boards, and is a recognized expert consulted on matters related to Salmonella and salmonellosis.

Alexander Todd is currently occupying the role of National Manager for the Food Safety Technical Assessment and Analysis group in the Office of Food Safety and Recall. He manages a group of four risk technical risk assessors who work on a variety of different food safety related issues. This group works on microbiological, chemical, extraneous, veterinary drug residues, nutrition, allergens related issues. Their work informs the risk management decisions conducted by the Office of Food Safety and Recall. Prior to his work as the manager, he worked as a risk assessor starting with the agency in 2010. Alexander has had the opportunity to work on many high profile investigations and The National Emergency Operations Centre (NEOC)’s; including the current ongoing pistachio outbreak, Mexican Cantaloupe outbreak, Gort’s Gouda NEOC and XL beef outbreaks. In 2015/2016, Alexander worked on a 1 year assignment with the Outbreak Management Division at PHAC as an epidemiologist. Prior to working with the CFIA, Alexander started his career with the Bureau of Microbial Hazards at Health Canada, back in 2001 as a lab technician.

Katharine (Kate) Fagan-Garcia has been an epidemiologist on the Response Team with the Outbreak Management Division at the Public Health Agency of Canada since 2022. She is a graduate of the Canadian Field Epidemiology Program and holds an MSc in Epidemiology from the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine and an MSc in Virology from the University of Alberta. Kate’s current work involves supporting the response to multi-jurisdictional enteric illness outbreaks, and she is particularly interested in those with a zoonotic source.

The opinions expressed by speakers and moderators do not necessarily reflect the official policies or views of Public Health Ontario, nor does the mention of trade names, commercial practices, or organizations imply endorsement by Public Health Ontario.

Public Health Ontario is committed to complying with the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act (AODA). If you require accommodations to participate in this event, please contact 647-260-7100 or capacitybuilding@oahpp.ca.