Food Safety / Quality Coordinator
College of Agricultural & Life Sciences | Center for Dairy Research
Hometown: Oregon, WI
As CDR’s Dairy Safety & Quality Coordinator, Alex O’Brien assists dairy plants with food safety plans, quality issues, and performs third party audits. Alex has worked in the food industry for the past 10 years, serving as a quality assurance supervisor and quality assurance manager. He has worked at Kerry Ingredients and Maple Leaf Cheese Company. He graduated from the University of Wisconsin-Madison in 2014 with a Food Science degree. Alex is a Wisconsin native with long family ties to the dairy industry. His grandparents and parents previously dairy farmed in east-central Wisconsin and his in-laws are dairy farmers.
For food safety and quality resources, articles, services, and short courses visit: Center for Dairy Research – Safety and Quality
A speaker fee applies for Mr. O’Brien’s talks.
Talks:
Safe Temperatures to store Cheese
You may see cheese curds sometimes allowed to be sold out of refrigeration or large wheels of cheese out on display at the grocery store. Is there imminent danger? We will discuss the different intrinsic properties of different cheeses that hinder or promote safety at room temperature.
Is moldy cheese safer to eat?
There are times you open the fridge and see mold growing, and immediately throw out the cheese. Is mold dangerous? Can I salvage my cheese? We will discuss the many different cheeses and discuss the relationship between cheese and mold. And when can that cheese be salvaged?
Food Safety in Manufacturing
Billions of pounds of found are made every year in the United States. It has been said that the United States has the safest supply of food in the world. We will discuss what manufacturers are required to do under the law to ensure that customers are ensured that their food is safe.