From Starbucks to the CDC: Alliance to Stop Foodborne Illness Names 40 Food Safety Professionals Under 40, Class Of 2026

Honorees from PepsiCo, Nestlé, Oscar Mayer, Cargill and more are using AI, new technology and smart traceability to keep food safe, across four continents.

CHICAGO, Oct. 23, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Today, the Alliance to Stop Foodborne Illness, a program of the nonprofit consumer advocacy group Stop Foodborne Illness, announced its 40 Under 40 Food Safety Professionals, Class of 2026. This fourth class since the program's 2023 launch drew a record number of applications.

This year's honorees work at some "household names" in food: Nestlé USA, Oscar Mayer, Starbucks Coffee Company, Mars Snacking, Sara Lee Frozen Bakery, and Hy-Vee. Others work at the agencies that protect the public, including the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, U.S. Food and Drug Administration, and USDA's Agricultural Research Service, plus five different state and local agencies. The 2026 cohort includes representatives from academia and trade associations such as the Meat Institute and the American Frozen Food Institute.

The Class of 2026 stretches well past U.S. borders. From a food safety researcher in Canada and a quality leader at a spice company in Brazil to a virus-detection scientist in South Korea. One honoree manages food safety for PepsiCo R&D's beverage and food innovation across India, the Middle East, and North Africa. Many honorees are also putting new technology to work on old problems. Their projects include AI tools that detect live bacteria in food, light-based sanitation technology, and a traceability network linking thousands of companies to make recalls faster and more precise. Five honorees have started their own companies.

"This year's cohort includes someone who helped lead food safety for an international sporting event, a plant quality manager who's changing how front-line workers think about their jobs, and scientists teaching AI to find bacteria and help food companies make smarter safety calls," said Vanessa Coffman, PhD, Alliance Director at Stop Foodborne Illness. "They don't have the same job title, but they share the same instinct. Food safety culture isn't a single department or one person's responsibility. It's how you show up every single day."

"I spent a lot of years in the government watching how long it takes for good science to become everyday practice," said Sandra Eskin, CEO of Stop Foodborne Illness. "These 40 professionals are closing that gap. They're validating sanitation on the plant floor, building the systems that will make recalls faster, and turning outbreak data into information people can actually use. When people ask me who's going to carry this work forward, I point to our 40 Under 40 Food Safety Professionals list."

For more information about 40 Food Safety Professionals Under 40, Class of 2026, and to view the full list of honorees, please visit stopfoodborneillness.org.

About the Alliance to Stop Foodborne Illness: The Alliance program brings together STOP constituents, leading food companies, and other like-minded organizations deeply committed to the goal of preventing foodborne disease. Developed in 2018, the Alliance was born out of a shared understanding of the crucial role food safety culture plays in ensuring that food is safe and consumers are protected.

About Stop Foodborne Illness (STOP): Stop Foodborne Illness is a national, nonprofit organization dedicated to preventing foodborne illness and ensuring the safety of our food supply. Through advocacy, education, and collaboration, Stop Foodborne Illness works to reduce the incidence of foodborne diseases and protect public health.

Media Contact:
Shannan Bunting, 312-493-0479
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Megy Karydes, 312-560-2715
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SOURCE Alliance to Stop Foodborne Illness