This course equips food industry professionals with the critical knowledge and practices needed to prevent intentional adulteration in food production and supply.
Participants will examine the critical role of food defense in protecting consumers, maintaining brand integrity, and meeting both government and global safety standards. Topics include identifying vulnerabilities, implementing facility and personnel controls, and understanding regulatory requirements. Through case studies and practical strategies, learners will gain the capability to develop robust Food Defense Plans and protect the food supply.
To register for this course, please visit our training portal.
Dr. Gene Bartholomew joined IEH as Vice President of Technical Services in 2019. He earned an M.S. and Ph.D. in microbiology from Cornell University and a B.S. in biology from Bucknell University. Dr. Bartholomew began his professional career at International Paper in 1983 as a research scientist.
During his 15 years there, he commercialized and validated an aseptic packaging system, managed a beverage pilot plant and its laboratory, started taste panel testing for the company, and advanced to manage several product development groups. Dr. Bartholomew then joined Smithfield Foods Packaged Meats. He started in the John Morrell Group as the corporate director of food safety for 7 meat processing and slaughter facilities and 1 spice plant. He later took on the role of Senior Director of Corporate Food Safety, during which he was responsible for 14 meat processing plants and several FDA-regulated plants.
Throughout his 20-year career at Smithfield, he led HACCP plan design and validation, thermal processing, regulatory compliance, sanitation, allergen control and environmental pathogen monitoring. He also managed a corporate microbiology laboratory and its accreditation, and has certifications in HACCP training, BRC and SQF schemes, and is a Preventive Controls Qualified Individual. Dr. Bartholomew was a founding member of the North American Meat Institute Listeria Control Workshop and has taught numerous courses to members of the food industry.
Ms. Carol Cave joined IEH as the Executive Vice President in 2024, bringing with her extensive expertise in regulatory affairs and consumer protection. She holds a B.S. in Consumer Economics from the University of Maryland.
Before joining IEH, Ms. Cave served as the Acting Associate Commissioner (ACRA) for the Office of Regulatory Affairs (ORA) at the Food and Drug Administration. In this role, she oversaw approximately 5000 ORA employees stationed across the U.S. and around the world.
Prior to her role as Acting ACRA, Ms. Cave served as Deputy Associate Commissioner, where she managed inspections, compliance, enforcement, field laboratory operations, import operations, and strategic planning.
Earlier in her career at the FDA, she served as the Assistant Commissioner of Import Operations, where she led the Office of Enforcement and Import Operations, ensuring FDA-regulated imported products comply with U.S. laws. Ms. Cave also led coordination efforts between the FDA and U.S. Customs and Border Protection, developing joint regulations, policies, procedures, and operations.
Before her tenure at the FDA, Ms. Cave was the Deputy Director of the Office of Compliance and Field Operations at the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC). In this role, she collaborated with federal government agencies to identify potentially defective consumer products. With nearly 26 years at the CPSC, Ms. Cave held various leadership positions, including Director of State and Local Programs and Assistant Executive Director for the Office of Import Surveillance, ensuring the safety of consumer products nationwide.
