The Lieutenant Columbo of Food Safety Forensics

“Dr. Deibel was a truly inspiring instructor, as well as an investigator in the food industry,” Dr. Kornacki relates. “After completing his course, I decided that, someday, I would like to investigate contamination events in food processing facilities similar to the many such events Dr. Deibel told us captivating stories about in class.”

“Food Safety Forensics” was not a term Dr. Deibel ever used, Dr. Kornacki, mentions, adding that the moniker only entered industry jargon in recent years.

Defining the Specialty

Food safety forensics is the methodology of using food safety principles, detection methods, and processes to solve crimes, or to verify and document food poisoning or adulteration for both humans and pets, according to Darrel Suderman, PhD, president of Food Technical Consulting, Denver, Col. Dr. Suderman is a proponent of food safety forensics being included as an official category of forensic science specialties with the American Society of Forensic Sciences.

“This field is specific to the contamination of food by microorganisms and toxins, and it represents a disciplined methodology for identifying the cause and contributing factors,” Dr. Suderman relates. “It identifies sequential ‘tracking and tracing’ investigative steps, technologies, and detection tools.”

Hundreds of Investigations and Recall Guidance

Through his private consulting work, as well as previous career endeavors in the food industry, Dr. Kornacki has investigated contamination events and helped clients deal with manufacturing issues during at least 850 food processing facility visits throughout the United States and Canada. He’s assisted many additional clients by phone. In the process, Dr. Kornacki has guided numerous food manufacturers through high-profile national product recalls.

He has tackled cases in most food sectors involving such products as meat, dairy, canned goods, cereal, spices, pie, snacks, candy, chocolate, individual quick-frozen (IQF) poultry, IQF hamburgers, IQF vegetables, and IQF entrees and dry ingredients.

Mentors Mean Everything

When cases in the world of food manufacturing issues get tough, Dr. Kornacki thinks of his late dad, Tom, who had a distinguished career as a police detective, and solved countless cases.

“I often ask myself, ‘What would my dad do?’” Dr. Kornacki elaborates.

He says he learned from his dad the essential characteristics for being a successful detective: critical thinking and problem-solving competence, attention to detail, objectivity, persistence, patience, outstanding communication skills, and dedication.

“I try to be really thorough, while also being diplomatic,” Dr. Kornacki relates. “During a plant visit, I typically ask my host the same question more than once, in different ways, since the answer can have two or three interpretations. Or I ask two or three knowledgeable employees the same question to get different perspectives.”

Dr. Kornacki says mentors helped him develop his interest and skills in food safety forensics. Earlier in his career, Dr. Kornacki worked for 12 years as a laboratory director and investigator at the former Silliker Laboratories Group, Inc. He says Dr. Damien Gabis and Dr. Russell Flowers, both former CEOs and presidents of Silliker, were instrumental in inspiring his “investigative approach to food contamination issues.

“Early guidance was also provided by my major professor at UW, the late Dr. Elmer Marth, a pioneer in the area of foodborne Listeria,” Dr. Kornacki adds.

Dr. Kornacki says the most satisfying and rewarding aspects food safety forensics include the knowledge that he helps make a difference, the long-standing relationships that have resulted from this work, and the excitement of discovering new avenues that microbes take in food manufacturing facilities. “Each experience I have adds to my ability to help the next client,” he relates.

Satisfaction and Rewards

Dr. Kornacki says the most satisfying and rewarding aspects food safety forensics include the knowledge that he helps make a difference, the long-standing relationships that have resulted from this work, and the excitement of discovering new avenues that microbes take in food manufacturing facilities. “Each experience I have adds to my ability to help the next client,” he relates.