This episode is sponsored by DeVere Chemical
Did you know sanitizing without cleaning is one of the most common food safety mistakes? 🤦‍♀️

DeVere Chemical is here to help you avoid rookie moves.

Their cleaning and sanitizing solutions are built for real food safety, not just looking clean, but being clean.

✅ Remove visible soils
✅ Use the right product
✅ Get full contact time
✅ Don’t miss those hard-to-reach zones
✅ And DOCUMENT EVERYTHING (If it’s not written down… it didn’t happen!)

We’ve met the DeVere team at events, and trust us, they know their stuff AND they’re actually fun to hang out with (which is saying a lot for a chemical company).

If you’re in food service or manufacturing, check out deverechemical.com.

Because clean should actually mean clean.

Remember: Don’t eat poop! 💩

When foodborne illness becomes a life sentence, who carries the burden? 

In this gut-wrenching episode of Don’t Eat Poop!, our hosts Matt and Francine share the devastating story of John Trahar - a once-vibrant entrepreneur now reduced to a shadow of himself after a listeria infection caused bacterial meningitis. It's not just about pathogens and paperwork; it's about people. This episode puts a very real, very human face on why preventing foodborne illness isn't optional.

💩 [05:20] Introduction to Bill Marler

💩 [05:57] Listeria strikes again: backstory on the Mexico potato connection

💩 [07:54] The devastating effects of listeria

💩 [14:32] What bacterial meningitis means for a human body

💩 [19:00] John’s wife’s emotional reality

💩 [22:10] Family fallout: Impact on their teenage son and family business

💩 [28:43] Where's the FDA? Lingering questions about traceback and accountability

💩 [30:51] Why storytelling matters in food safety culture

“ Dying from listeria is probably one of the worst ways to die. [...] It's perpetual pain.” – Matt Regusci

“ I wouldn’t want to live with listeria. I would prefer to die.” – Francine L Shaw

Remember to subscribe, rate, and review the podcast on your favorite podcast platform. Together, we can raise awareness and make a positive impact in the world of food safety!

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📕 Check out Francine's book Who Watches the Kitchen? on Amazon! 

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