Food Safety Attorney Bill Marler on Cyclospora and Corporate Accountability

In this episode of Food Safety News: On the Beat, hosts Morgan Holm and Jonan Pilet speak with Bill Marler, a nationally recognized food safety attorney and the founder and publisher of Food Safety News. Marler has represented victims of foodborne illness since the landmark 1993 Jack in the Box E. coli outbreak and has spent more than three decades advocating for consumer protection and food safety reform. He joins the podcast to discuss the Cyclospora outbreak, gaps in outbreak response, and why traceability, transparency, and industry accountability matter. Following the interview, Morgan and Jonan recap the week’s food safety headlines, including E. coli and Salmonella investigations, changes to deli meat inspections, and recent recalls. Topics discussed: -Cyclospora and produce safety: Bill’s perspective on the outbreak, Taylor Farms’ sourcing pause, and the challenges of preventing contamination. -Prevention and accountability: How traceability, public health funding, and transparency affect outbreak response and consumer trust. -The weekly outbreak update: Investigations involving ready-to-eat chicken wraps, broccoli sprouts, and eggs linked to Salmonella cases in the UK. -Deli meat inspections and recalls: Expanded testing aimed at preventing Listeria contamination, plus a roundup of recalled products. -The farmed seafood supply chain: Questions about sourcing, oversight, and the environmental and public health concerns behind seafood production. Food Safety News has provided independent reporting on foodborne illness outbreaks, recalls, research, regulations and public health since 2009. Food Safety News: On the Beat brings that reporting into a weekly conversation, giving listeners more context behind the stories shaping our food supply. Stay informed with Food Safety News: https://www.foodsafetynews.com/ Join the free Food Safety News newsletter or become an FSN+ member: https://www.foodsafetynews.com/member... FREE — $0/year Get a taste of FSN with the weekly Monday newsletter featuring recalls, outbreaks and selected opinion articles, plus access to the Food Safety News article archive from 2009 through November 2025. FSN+ — $79/year Get the full Food Safety News experience, including: • Early access to podcast episodes • Members-only FSN Daily newsletter Monday through Friday • Members-only Sunday edition • Full access to all website articles • Ad-free website reading • Access to the comments section Your membership helps support Food Safety News and its coverage of food safety issues around the world. Subscribe to Food Safety News on YouTube and follow Food Safety News: On the Beat wherever you listen to podcasts. ___________________________________________________________ Timestamps: 0:00 Food Safety News: On the Beat 0:34 Bill Marler on the Cyclospora Outbreak 6:19 Taylor Farms’ Harvest Pause and Produce Safety 8:25 FDA Funding and Food Traceability 13:48 Consumer Trust and Food Industry Transparency 15:50 Why Food Safety Reform Follows Disasters 18:39 How Public Health Teams Track Outbreaks 20:33 Bill Marler’s Call for Food Safety Action 25:12 Weekly Recap: E. coli in Chicken Wraps 26:40 Salmonella Outbreaks in the UK and Europe 28:43 Salmonella Linked to Broccoli Sprouts 30:32 New USDA Deli Meat Testing for Listeria 31:35 Food Recalls: Gelato, Meat, Cheese and Seafood 32:42 Farmed Seafood and Supply Chain Concerns 34:54 Subscribe and Support Food Safety News