Brian Shawn Eblen

Mr. Eblen has extensive expertise in designing and implementing experimental procedures to address food safety concerns. He is experienced with laboratory and computational aspects of determining the growth and death kinetics of a variety of bacterial forborne pathogens, including: Listeria monocytogenes, Yersinia enterocolitica, Clostridium botulinum, Escherchia coli O157:H7, Salmonella spp. Clostridium perfringens, and Bacillus cereus. His 17 years of varied research projects provided Mr. Eblen with extensive experience with food safety issues, ranging from production through retail and food service.

Prior to joining Exponent, Mr. Eblen was a microbiologist for the Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA) Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition (CFSAN) and the United States Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Agricultural Research Service (ARS). While at FDA, Mr. Eblen designed experiments to address food safety issues and was a science consultant for the U.S. Food Code and Pasteurized Milk Ordinance. Mr. Eblen provided science based rationale for changes to the Food Code at the Conference for Food Protection and National Conference for Interstate Milk Shipments and advised voting delegates on the science behind the issues. He served as FDA advisor to Conference of Food Protection committees. Mr. Eblen also tested and evaluated bio-threat test kits for their efficacy in foods, participated with CDC in training state laboratory technicians on protocols to detect threat agents, and maintained select agent protocols and inventories. While at USDA, Mr. Eblen designed experiments and managed projects that addressed many food safety issues associated with the meat industry.

As a member of Exponent, Mr. Eblen has utilized his microbiology and food science expertise on numerous projects including: the creation of challenge study protocols to determine existing food safety levels for specific commodities, inspection and review of food production practices to determine the likely cause of contamination and product failure, review of laboratory design and SSOPs for select agent laboratories.

Sharma SK, Ferreria JL, Eblen BS, Whiting, RC. Detection of type A, B, E, and F Clostridium botulinum neurotoxins in foods by using an amplified enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay with digoxigenin0labeled antibodies. Applied and Environ Microbiology 2006; 72:1231–1238.

Sharma SK, Eblen BS, Bull RL, Burr DH, Whiting RC. Evaluation of lateral-flow Clostridium botulinum neurotoxin detection kits for food analysis. Applied and Environ Microbiology 2006; 71:3935–3941.

Penteado AL, Eblen BS, Miller AJ. Evidence of Salmonella internalization into fresh mangoes during simulated post harvest processing procedures. J Food Protection 2004; 67:181–184.

Eblen BS, Walderhaug MO, Edelson-Mammel SG, Chirtel SJ, De Jesus A, Merker RI, Buchanan RL, Miller AJ. Potential for internalization, growth and survival of Salmonella and Escherchia coli in O157:H7 in oranges. J. Food Protection 2003; 77:1578–1587.

Juneja VK, Novak JS, Eblen BS, Mcclane BA. Heat resistance of Clostridium perfringens vegetative cells as affected by prior heat shock. J Food Safety 2001; 21:127–139.

Juneja VK, Eblen BS, Marks HM. Modeling non-linear survival curves to calculate thermal inactivation of Salmonella in poultry of different fat levels. Int J Food Microbiology 2001; 22(70):37–51.

Miller AJ, Bayles DO, Eblen BS. Cold shock induction of thermal sensitivity in Listeria monocytogenes. Appl Environ Microbiology 2000; 66:4345–4350.

Juneja VK, Eblen BS. Heat inactivation of Salmonella typhimurium DT104 in beef as affected by fat content. Lett Appl Microbiology 2000; 30:461–467.

Juneja VK, Eblen BS. Predictive thermal inactivation model for Listeria monocytogenes with temperature, pH, NaCL, and sodium pyrophosphate as controlling factors. J Food Protection 1999; 62:986–993.

Juneja VK, Marmer BS, Eblen BS. Predictive model for the combined effect of temperature, pH, sodium chloride, and sodium pyrophosphate on the heat resistance of Escherichia coli O157:H7. J Food Safety 1999; 19:147–160.

Duffy G, Riordan DCR, Sheridan JJ, Eblen BS, Whiting RC, Blair IS, McDowell DA. Differences in thermotolerence of various Escherichia coli O157:H7 strains in a salami matrix. Food Microbiology 1999; 16:83–91.

Palumbo SA, Klein P, Capra J, Eblen BS, Miller AJ. Comparison of excision and swabbing sampling methods to determine the microbiological quality of swine carcass surfaces. Food Microbiology 1999; 16:459–464.

Miller AJ, Eblen BS, Oser A, Burkhardt W. Application and evaluation of mole-specific bacteriophage as a process integrity or fecal contamination indicator in a pork slaughterhouse environment. J Appl Microbiology 1998; 85:898–904.

Riordan DC, Duffy G, Sheridan J, Eblen BS, Whiting RC, Blair IS, McDowell DA. Survival of Escherichia coli O157:H7 during the manufacture of pepperoni. J Food Protection 1998; 61:146–151.

Rajkowski KT, Eblen BS, Laubauch C. Efficacy of washing and sanitizing trailers used for swine transport in reduction of Salmonella and Escherichia coli. J Food Protection 1998; 61:31–35.

Miller AJ, Call JE, Eblen BS. Growth, Injury and Survival potential of Yersinia enterocolitica, Listeria monocytogenes, and Staphylococcus aureus in brine chiller conditions. J Food Protection 1998; 60:1334–1340.

Juneja VK, Eblen BS, Marmer BS, Williams AC, Palumbo SA, Miller AJ. Thermal resistance of nonproteolytic type B and type E Clostridium botulinum spores in phosphate buffer and turkey slurry. J Food Protection 1995; 58:758–763.

Juneja VK, Eblen BS. Influence of sodium chloride on thermal inactivation and recovery of nonproteolytic Clostridium botulinum type B KAP B5 spores. J Food Protection 1995; 58:813–816.

Posters

Eblen BS, Ottenson A and Miller AJ. The effects of agricultural pesticide and antibiotic applications on apples and apple juice microflora. Presented poster presentation at the Annual meeting of FDA Science Forum, Washington DC, April 2005.

Eblen BS, Penteado AL and Miller AJ. Evidence of Salmonella internalization into fresh mangoes during simulated post harvesting procedures. Presented poster presentation at Annual meeting of International Association of Food Protection, San Diego, CA, June 2002.

Eblen BS, Whiting RC, Miller AJ. Growth potential of Listeria monocytogenes in commercially prepared ready-to-eat deli salads stored at refrigeration temperatures. Presented poster presentation at Annual Meeting of International Association of Food Protection, San Diego, CA, June 2002.

Presentations

Eblen BS. Current issues in food safety. FDA/NSTA Professional Development Program in Food Science, Washington DC, July 2006.

Eblen BS. Listeria monocytogenes in ready-to-eat foods and interventions that effect the relative risk. FDA Regional Science Forum, Denver CO, May 2005.

Eblen BS. Food safety concerns. FDA New Inspectors Training Course, Annapolis, MD, March 2004.

Eblen BS. Reducing foodborne illness resulting from hand contact of ready-to-eat foods. Ohio State Health Department Annual Meeting, Columbus, OH, March 2003.

Eblen BS. Current Listeria research in ready to eat foods. Pittsburgh Regional AFDO Annual Meeting, December 2002.

Eblen BS. Food microbiology review. FDA Regional Train the Trainer Course, Alameda and Modesto, CA, September 2001.

Eblen BS. Food microbiology in Chapter 3 of the US Food Code. FDA Regional Train the Trainer Course, Houston, TX, September 2000.

Eblen BS. Routes of infiltration, survival, and growth of Salmonella enterica Serovar Hartford and Escherichia coli O157:H7 in Oranges. IAFP Annual Meeting, Atlanta, GA, August 2000.

• Microbiologist, U.S Food and Drug Administration, Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition, 1999–2006
• Support Scientist, 1993–1999; Biological Laboratory Technician, 1991–1993, United States Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service, Eastern Regional Research Center
  

Development and Management of Projects to Assess Food Safety

Worked with Exponent team to design a multi year research plan to determine a client’s existing level of food safety and what areas of their current food safety systems need to be augmented. Also worked with client to identify testing laboratory with excellent reputation to implement research and provided scientific review of all protocols submitted by testing laboratory.
Provided analytical expertise to identify causes of both pathogen contamination and pH increases in product. In both cases all relevant ingredient, production and QA documents were reviewed to determine or rule out potential causes of product contamination or failure.

Utilized current knowledge of select agent regulations and experience with working in and maintaining a federal select agent laboratory to advise clients on proper design of BL3 facilities and evaluation of proposed SSOPs.

Established the parameters for challenge studies used as the scientific basis to propose changes to the Pasteurized Milk Ordinance. The findings from the study allowed several products to have relaxed cooling standards without jeopardizing public health

Determined research needs for the FDA Listeria Risk Assessment for ready-to-eat foods. Designed and implemented protocol to assess growth parameters for L. monoctyogenes in deli salads. Findings from this project were put into the risk assessment model. Findings lowered the risk of listeriosis attributed to deli salad consumption than was previously assumed.

Identified and designed laboratory studies addressing food safety issues within the model U.S. Food Code that needed revision to reflect the current state of the science.

Designed experiments to analyze the potential for growth of pathogens within the time temperature parameters the food was exposed at retail.

Developed and implemented laboratory studies to assess the potential for pathogen infiltration into fresh produce from cooling water. Determined produce varieties that are more susceptible to pathogen infiltration

Developed laboratory studies and managed four projects that determined pathogen levels on slaughter pigs. Developed methods to assess pathogen distribution during the slaughtering process from pen to cooler. Applied a bacteriophage method designed for wastewater to more accurately determine contamination during processing. Findings led to practices that reduced the risk of pathogen introduction into pork.

Developed experiments to determine the heat resistance of new outbreak strains of human pathogens in model systems and in foods. Analyzed strains isolated from recent outbreaks to determine increasing thermal resistance. Determined if current cooking guidelines were sufficient to destroy new isolates.

Developed methodologies to test for Clostridium botulinum in foods using rapid test kits. Tested new rapid test kits for sensitivity for C. botulinum neurotoxin. Maintained FDA CFSAN C. botulinum culture and neurotoxin collection. Was member of FDA rapid response team for select agents. Held security clearance to work with select agents.

Worked to develop C. perfringins methodology in foods. Developed experiments to determine the growth of C. perfringens in a retail food setting to determine the safety of proposed changes to FDA’s time as a public health control concept.

• International Association of Food Protection
• Institute of Food Technologists