Academic Credentials
  • Ph.D., Biochemistry, University of Chicago, 1983
  • M.S., Biochemistry, University of Chicago, 1979
  • B.S., Biological Sciences, University of Chicago, 1974
Professional Honors
  • Significant and Recent Honor Awards
  • FDA's Special Act or Service Award for work on the Flavr Savr tomato, 1994.
  • FDA's Commendable Service Award for outstanding performance in the evaluation of scientific data and the clear presentation of findings concerning the first whole food developed using recombinant DNA technology, 1995.
  • FDA's Award of Merit for outstanding performance in expediting a decision on the olestra food additive petition, 1996.
  • FDA's Commendable Service Award for outstanding performance in establishing and administering procedures to review and consult with developers of new, genetically engineered varieties of plants to be used for food, 1999.
  • CFSAN's Quality Performance Award for sustained excellent performance in managing the Office responsibilities for genetically engineered foods, 1999.
  • FDA's Group Recognition Award for outstanding performance in the development of the FDA guidance for industry, regarding the use of antibiotic resistance genes as selectable markers in transgenic plants, 1999.
  • FDA's Group Recognition Award for outstanding exceptional performance in organizing meetings that enabled a diverse and concerned public to productively participate in the Agency=s policy process for bioengineered food, 2000.
  • CFSAN's Team Award for efforts to manage the regulatory problem with StarLink corn, developing a methodology testing for the presence of residues, and coordinating with EPA and USDA, 2001.
  • FDA's Commissioner's Special Citation as a member of the Bioterrorism Act Recordkeeping Final Rule Team for extraordinary contributions in reviewing public comments and drafting the final rule to implement the establishment and maintenance of records under the Bioterrorism Act provision, 2005.
  • FDA's Outstanding Service Award for outstanding effort in developing guidance on the recommended maximum lead levels in candy, 2006.
  • CFSAN's Exceptional Achievement Award as a member of the Allergen Threshold Workgroup for outstanding contributions in constructing a comprehensive, cohesive analysis of available strategies and supporting data for establishing indices of success in controlling food allergens and gluten in food, 2006.
  • CFSAN's Team Spirit Award as a member of the Fresh-Cut Team for outstanding effort in developing guidance for industry to minimize food safety hazards for fresh-cut fruits and vegetables, 2006.
  • FDA Commissioner's Special Citation as a member of FDA's TOPOFF 3 Exercise Group for significant contributions to the Nation's preparedness goals through planning and participation in the TOPOFF 3 Terrorism Exercise series, 2006.
  • FDA Group Recognition Award for outstanding efforts in developing the report to Congress required by the Food Allergen Labeling and Consumer Protection Act, 2007.
  • FDA Leveraging/Collaboration Award as a member of the Leafy Greens Safety Initiative Group for collaboration and leveraging in the implementation of the Leafy Greens Safety initiative resulting in improved infrastructure, public health preparedness, and research partnerships, 2007.
  • FDA Leveraging/Collaboration Award in recognition of the outstanding interagency cooperation in response to the discovery of polonium in Nevada well water, 2008.
  • FDA Group Recognition Award as a member of the Salmonella in Peanut Butter Outbreak Response Group in recognition of the significant interagency response to the Salmonella Tennessee outbreak associated with peanut butter, 2008.
  • FDA Group Recognition Award as a member of the FDA TOPOFF 4 Exercise Group for exceptional participation in and support of FDA's role in TOPOFF 4, the most comprehensive congressionally mandated full-scale multi-faceted terrorism exercise conducted in the US, 2008.
  • FDA Group Recognition Award as a member of the Botulinum Toxin Response Group in recognition of the superior collaboration and response to the outbreak of botulinum toxin in canned chili sauce, 2008.
  • FDA Commissioner's Special Citation Award for superior achievement in FDA's Emergency Operations Center's coordination of the Agency's Salmonella Saint Paul outbreak response activities, 2009.
  • CFSAN Legacy Award as a member of the CFSAN Leadership Development Board for successfully launching Leaders Developing Leaders Program, continuing to improve and achieve intended goal, developing leaders with competencies for next generation Center mission challenges anticipated, 2010.
  • FDA Produce Safety Outreach and Collaboration Team award for excellence in developing and executing a strategy to reach out to diverse groups of farmers who will be affected by new produce safety regulations, 2011.
  • FDA Group Recognition Award for providing exceptional technical expertise in the review, assessment and evaluation of microbiological sampling projects during the prioritization effort, 2011.
  • CFSAN Group Recognition Award as a member of The Egg Safety Rollout Team for successful presentation of the egg safety rule at a series of public meetings, 2011.
  • FDA Plain Language Award as a member of the FDA Budget Formulation Narrative Group for 6 clearly documenting how FDA public health programs promote efficiency and generate savings for patients, consumers and industry stakeholders, 2011.
  • FDA Group Recognition Award for exceptional contribution and outstanding dedication to the agency's response effort in the aftermath of Hurricane Sandy, 2013.
  • FDA Commissioner's Special Citation as member of the crisis and communication and engagement team, 2015.
  • Institute for Food Safety and Health Lifetime Achievement Award, 2017.
  • CFSAN Director's Distinguished Career Service Award, 2017.
  • FDA Commissioner's Distinguished Career Service Award, 2017
Professional Affiliations
  • Institute of Food Technologists
  • International Association for Food Protection

Before joining Exponent on April 16, 2018, Dr. Beru served as the Director of the Office of Food Safety in FDA's Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition (CFSAN) from August 2006 to December 2017. In that capacity he provided leadership on public health policy and regulatory issues for about 200 food safety professionals in four policy division and two staffs (Division of Plant Products and Beverages, Division of Produce Safety, Division of Dairy, Egg, Meat Product Safety, Division of Seafood Safety, Retail Food Protection Staff, and Multi-Commodity Foods Staff) as well as two research divisions (Division of Food Processing Science and Technology and Division of Seafood Science and Technology). He oversaw the development and issuance of several regulations as well as guidances for industry. 

Previously, he served as Associate Director of the Office of Plant and Dairy Foods (predecessor to the Office of Food Safety) from January 2005 to July 2006. From December 1999 to December 2004, Dr. Beru served as Director of the Division of Plant Product Safety in that office. Between 1991 when he joined FDA and 1999, he worked in the Office of Food Additive Safety, where among other duties, he oversaw industry consultations with FDA regarding foods derived from genetically engineered plants as a consumer safety officer and later as a team leader in the Biotechnology Policy Branch.

Dr. Beru received a bachelor's degree in the biological sciences in 1974 from the University of Chicago, and a Ph.D. in Biochemistry from the Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology in 1983 also at the University of Chicago. He stayed on in the department as a postdoctoral research associate/instructor and joined the faculty of the Department of Medicine, Section of Hematology/Oncology in 1988 where he became a research associate/assistant professor before joining FDA in 1991. Dr. Beru served as head of the US Delegation to the Codex Committee on Contaminants in Foods from 2007 to 2015.