How Rare is Real Accountability

The Certainty Gap part Deux; plus a special guest

Though the original plan was to wait until Darin and Gennette returned from IAFP in New Orleans before releasing another episode, the chaotic and fast-moving Cyclospora outbreak made that impossible. As new and conflicting information seemed to emerge by the hour, Darin realized there was an opportunity to take the conversation in a direction beyond the what and how.  The episode begins with a candid discussion of the unfolding Cyclospora outbreak and the confusion surrounding recalls, social media speculation, shifting public health information, consumer trust, and what happens when uncertainty becomes the story itself. Darin and Gennette examine how misinformation spreads, why consumers struggle to know whom to trust, and what leaders can learn from moments when facts are still evolving. In the second half of the episode, they're joined by their coach and friend, celebrity mindset coach Laura St. John, whose work has influenced both of their personal and professional lives for nearly four years. Together, they explore an unexpected but powerful connection between mindset and food safety leadership. Rather than focusing solely on reacting to crises, they discuss how leaders can develop the mental habits, clarity, and decision-making tools needed to prepare for uncertainty before it happens. The conversation bridges food safety, leadership, psychology, and systems thinking to show how narrowing The Certainty Gap isn't just about gathering more information, it's about learning how to think more effectively when certainty is impossible. Whether you're following the latest outbreak news, work in the food industry, lead a team, or simply want better tools for making decisions in uncertain situations, this episode offers a fresh perspective on one of the most important (and most overlooked) skills of modern leadership. To learn more about Laura St.John and her mindset classes go to Strong Confident Living at https://www.strongconfidentliving.com [https://www.strongconfidentliving.com] For up to date information on the Cyclospora outbreak go to the Marler Blog at https://www.marlerblog.com/ [https://www.marlerblog.com/] Sponsored by Eagle Protect, the only glove company that third-party tests its gloves because “trust us” isn’t a food safety strategy. Learn more at www.eagleprotect.com [http://www.eagleprotect.com] and Safeguard What Matters. Don't forget to watch Darin's Ted Talk at https://youtu.be/rEIWcW__Mb8 [https://youtu.be/rEIWcW__Mb8]

The Certainty Gap

After an unexpected six-week break, we’re back and we have a lot to catch up on. From road trips through Michigan and TEDx milestones to retirement announcements and cereal box nostalgia, this episode takes a few classic Confessions detours before diving into a much bigger question: What happens in the space between knowing something is wrong and actually doing something about it? Darin breaks down The Certainty Gap the concept behind his TEDx talk: that dangerous delay where leaders search for more proof, more data, or more justification while risks continue to grow. We explore how that gap shows up in food safety failures, corporate accountability, consumer decisions, and even the mystery items hiding in the back of our pantries. Because whether you’re leading a company or deciding if Grandma’s 20-year-old jar of jelly needs to go, uncertainty affects the choices we make. And sometimes, waiting for certainty is the riskiest decision of all. Sponsored by Eagle Protect, the only glove company that third-party tests its gloves because “trust us” isn’t a food safety strategy. Learn more at www.eagleprotect.com [http://www.eagleprotect.com] and Safeguard What Matters. Watch Darin's Ted Talk at https://youtu.be/rEIWcW__Mb8 [https://youtu.be/rEIWcW__Mb8]

On the Road - Salinas

In this special “On the Road” edition of Confessions of a Food Safety A-Hole, Darin and Gennette head north on California’s 101 toward Salinas for the Western Food Safety Conference: recording live from the car, and even the Renaissance Fair along the way.  What starts as a road trip becomes a deeper conversation about food safety leadership, storytelling, state-by-state policy inconsistencies, and the people behind the systems that protect our food supply. Darin reflects on what it really means to lead in food safety beyond compliance checklists and regulations, while Gennette explores the human side of conferences, farming culture, and the sensory experience of being surrounded by the land that feeds us.  Along the way, they discuss: *  Why food safety standards can vary dramatically depending on your zip code  *  The challenge of leadership during recalls and public scrutiny  *  What composting, storytelling, and produce farming unexpectedly have in common  *  Why conferences need more authentic storytelling—and fewer PowerPoint slides  *  The surprisingly robust food safety operations at a Renaissance Fair  Plus: artichokes, loaded baked potatoes, recall controversies, and a live “Ren Fair Report.” This episode is part travelogue, part industry debrief, and part meditation on why food safety is never just about policy; it’s about people.

The Double Life of Social Media

Social media has a food safety problem; and it’s not subtle. In this episode of Confessions of a Food Safety A**Hole, Darin and Gennette dig into the weird, messy reality of how people decide what’s “safe” to eat based on not the most credible person but the most entertaining. From viral “life hacks” that make you question humanity…to influencers selling unsafe products…to commenters who would rather argue than learn…we discuss the double life of social media: where it can educate or mislead at scale. And somewhere in the middle? A food safety professional trying to save lives… and getting called an a**hole for it. If you’ve ever trusted a TikTok recipe, rage-commented on a video, or wondered why people ignore actual science this episode is for you. Shout out to the Don't Eat Poop Podcast for their take on food safety and social media in April. https://dont-eat-poop.transistor.fm/episodes/food-safety-compliance-in-home-kitchens-the-hidden-risks-of-social-media-food-businesses-episode-162 [https://dont-eat-poop.transistor.fm/episodes/food-safety-compliance-in-home-kitchens-the-hidden-risks-of-social-media-food-businesses-episode-162] Confessions of a Food Safety A**Hole is sponsored by Eagle Protect, the only glove company that third-party tests its gloves because “trust us” isn’t a food safety strategy. Learn more at www.eagleprotect.com [http://www.eagleprotect.com] and Safeguard What Matters.

The Lasagna Theory of Food Safety

⚠️ Spoiler Alert This episode contains major spoilers for the AppleTV show Pluribus. If you haven’t watched it yet and want to go in blind, you may want to pause on listening to this episode and come back later. In Episode 11 of Confessions of a Food Safety A**Hole, Gennette challenges Darin to unpack the noticeable shift in his writing and what’s driving it. What started as personal storytelling has evolved into something sharper: pattern recognition turned real-time accountability. He’s no longer just reflecting on what’s happened, he’s naming behaviors and leadership decisions as they unfold. And the change isn’t just in what he writes, but how he writes it: more personal, more grounded, and more willing to use everyday moments to expose much bigger systemic failures. From there, the conversation digs into what Darin calls his “lasagna theory” of food safety [science, policy, leadership, behavior, communication] all layered together and impossible to separate once they’re in motion. Beneath it all is a harder, more uncomfortable question: how do you make truth travel faster than what’s sensational? This episode sits in that tension between urgency and responsibility, speed and precision and pushes toward something deeper than awareness: making the right conversations impossible to ignore. Confessions of a Food Safety A**Hole is sponsored by Eagle Protect, the only glove company that third-party tests its gloves because “trust us” isn’t a food safety strategy. Learn more at www.eagleprotect.com [http://www.eagleprotect.com] and Safeguard What Matters. * Detwiler, D. (2026, April 2). “Do you recall this? The 1906 parallel: History repeating Itself.” Food Safety News. Available online at: https://www.foodsafetynews.com/2026/04/do-you-recall-this/ [https://www.foodsafetynews.com/2026/04/do-you-recall-this/] * Detwiler, D. (2026, March 19). “Food Safety Leadership Must Begin Before People Die.” QA Magazine. Available online at: https://www.qualityassurancemag.com/article/food-safety-leadership-must-begin-before-people-die/ [https://www.qualityassurancemag.com/article/food-safety-leadership-must-begin-before-people-die/] * Detwiler, D. (2026, January 22). “‘Pluribus,’ Complacency and the Reluctant Steward.” QA Magazine. Available online at: https://www.qualityassurancemag.com/article/pluribus-complacency-and-the-reluctant-steward/ [https://www.qualityassurancemag.com/article/pluribus-complacency-and-the-reluctant-steward/]