SARASOTA, FLA. — Boar’s Head Brand announced on Oct. 3 that food safety expert Frank Yiannas, MPH, has been appointed chief food safety advisor for the company on an interim basis, effective immediately. In this role, Yiannas will help ensure the company meets standards of food safety and quality. Yiannas will also oversee the nationwide search for a chief food safety officer to succeed him.

Additionally, Yiannas will chair the Boar’s Head Food Safety Advisory Council, which formed in September as part of the company’s response to the ongoing Listeria outbreak linked to its deli meat. The council is comprised on independent industry-leading food safety experts, who will provide guidance and support for Boar’s Head’s adoption of enhanced quality food safety programs. Other council members, as previously announced, include David Acheson, PhD; Mindy Brashears, PhD; and Martin Wiedmann, DVM.

"At Boar's Head, we are committed to food safety, and we have a long heritage of manufacturing high-quality and delicious products,” Boar’s Head said. “We are continuing to take actions to ensure that we are operating in the safest manner possible across our network of facilities. As part of these efforts, we are pleased to appoint Frank Yiannas as our chief food safety advisor on an interim basis. Mr. Yiannas brings significant food safety and regulatory experience and expertise that will be pivotal in helping us shape our food safety programs going forward.”

Yiannas brings a wealth of industry experience in regulatory oversight and public health. He is the former deputy commissioner of food policy and response at the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA). He played a key role in implementing the FDA’s Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA). A renowned food safety expert, microbiologist and author, Yiannas has held leadership roles at Walmart and Disney. He is a past president of the International Association for Food Protection and a past vice-chairman of the Global Food Safety Initiative, as well as an adjunct professor in the food safety program at Michigan State University.