ICMSF congratulates Katherine Swanson on FSPCA Lifetime Achievement Award

The ICMSF is delighted to congratulate Dr Katherine MJ Swanson, on being awarded the prestigious FSPCA Lifetime Achievement Award. This honour recognises her decades of exceptional service and enduring contributions to food safety worldwide. Dr Swanson, an emeritus member of the ICMSF, will receive the award at the upcoming FSPCA Annual Conference on 19 to 20 November 2024.

Dr Katie Swanson has long been regarded as an expert in food safety, with a career spanning over 40 years dedicated to enhancing food safety standards and microbiological quality systems. Her influence has been profound across industry, non-governmental organisations, academia, and regulatory bodies, where she has championed advancements in food safety management and policy.

In her work, Dr Swanson has played a vital role in designing microbiological food safety programmes. She contributed significantly to the FDA’s Food Safety Preventive Controls Alliance (FSPCA) Human Food Curriculum, establishing new educational standards for food safety. As Vice President of Food Safety at Ecolab Inc., she developed safety tools and training programmes aimed at reducing microbial contamination and mitigating public health risks, further advancing global food safety practices.

Dr Swanson has also made lasting contributions in leadership roles with major food companies, including Ecolab, The Pillsbury Company, and General Mills. In these positions, she pioneered global microbiology programmes, promoted Hazard Analysis Critical Control Point (HACCP) standards, and strengthened food quality systems. Additionally, her expertise has been sought in advisory roles on high-level panels such as the FDA Science Advisory Board and the National Advisory Committee on Microbiological Criteria for Foods, helping to shape policies that safeguard public health.

Her remarkable achievements have been recognised through numerous awards, including the International Association for Food Protection President’s Lifetime Achievement Award (2022) and Fellow status in both the International Association for Food Protection and the Institute of Food Technologists. Dr Swanson’s enduring commitment to food safety continues to influence practices and policies globally.

The ICMSF proudly celebrates Dr Swanson’s contributions to food safety and her well-deserved recognition.