Frank Yiannas on Netflix’s Poisoned, Bio-Derived Polymers in Packaging

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Omnivore

Episode Description

Learn from the brightest minds in food science in the October episodes of the Omnivore podcast.

For a few days in August, the Netflix film, “Poisoned: The Dirty Truth About Your Food,” became the most watched documentary in the world, and created a ripple effect of consumer anxiety and confusion about the safety of the U.S. food system. In this episode, Omnivore talks with one of the experts interviewed for the documentary, FDA’s former Deputy Commissioner for Food Policy and Response Frank Yiannas, about what he thought of the final documentary and what he wishes had made the final cut. Also in this episode, packaging expert Claire Koelsch Sand discusses advances in the use of bioderived polymers in food and beverage packaging.

Plus: Find out more about IFT’s new Product Development Bootcamp, a comprehensive, 10-module online course designed to equip food and beverage professionals with the knowledge and skills necessary to elevate and accelerate product development. Learn more at www.ift.org/bootcamp.

Listen and subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen to podcasts.

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Featured Guests

Frank Yiannas

Frank Yiannas served as deputy commissioner for food policy and response at the U.S. FDA from 2018 to 2022, and previously in senior food safety and policy roles at Walmart and Disney. You can read more of his thoughts about the Poisoned documentary at IFT.org, and in the October issue of Food Technology.
Claire Koelsch Sand Member

Claire Koelsch Sand, PhD, contributing editor to Food Technology and an IFT Fellow, is a global packaging leader with more than 35 years of food science and packaging experience. Sand is the owner and founder of Packaging Technology and Research, LLC, and an adjunct professor at Michigan State University and CalPoly.

Omnivore

IFT’s Omnivore and Omnivore Presents: SciDish podcasts spark lively, thought-provoking conversations with the science, business, and regulatory leaders shaping the future of food. Each episode delivers sharp analysis, practical insights, and bold ideas designed to challenge assumptions, ignite innovation, and energize your work across the global food system.

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