Ep. 221. Dr. Alex LeBeau: The Science Behind Food Contaminant Testing

Alex LeBeau, Ph.D., M.P.H., CIH is the owner of Exposure Assessment Consulting LLC in Orlando, Florida, where he offers toxicology, industrial hygiene, risk assessment, and public health consulting services. Over his 13-year career, he has evaluated environmental and occupational exposures and has performed toxicological evaluations of chemicals and biological agents. He has also performed human health risk assessments of contaminated sites using U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and state regulatory guidelines and has monitored remediation activities at those sites. To evaluate the exposure impacts on building occupants, he has performed indoor environmental quality assessments, including Legionella and water quality assessments, at healthcare, residential, and industrial facilities.

Dr. LeBeau has been a co-author on industry guidance for COVID-19 issues. He has also been retained as a testifying expert witness and provided consultation on several occupational and environmental exposure claims. Finally, Dr. LeBeau has authored safety assessments on consumer products, including antimicrobial pesticide registration dossiers, Generally Recognized as Safe (GRAS) determinations for food ingredients following U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) regulations for scientific procedures, and submitted a health claim petition to the FDA that was successfully accepted by the agency.

In this episode of Food Safety Matters, we speak with Dr. LeBeau [26:40] about:

• The Healthy Florida First contaminant testing initiative for food products, which has notably raised concerns about arsenic in candy
• Gaps around Healthy Florida First's testing methodology, data reporting, and transparency that make the contaminant findings difficult to interpret in a scientific context
• How arsenic is typically evaluated in food products and what factors are relevant to determine whether detected levels are significant to human health
• Why detection does not always equate to danger (i.e., the difference between hazard identification and risk assessment)
• The exposure assumptions and risk calculations that are required to translate contaminant testing results into a realistic assessment of consumer risk
• How FDA and EPA typically conduct exposure science and toxicological risk assessments for contaminants in food, and how Healthy Florida First's approach compares
• Best practices for the communication of contaminant testing results to ensure the information is accurate, transparent, and responsibly interpreted by both industry and consumers.

News and Resources

News

Novel C. Botulinum Test for Infant Formula Developed After ByHeart Study Reveals Industry Standard Falls Short [1:54]

Infant Formula Brands Behind Botulism Outbreaks Used Same Organic Whole Milk Supplier [3:57]

USDA-FSIS Announces Pilot Program to Evaluate Salmonella Control Strategies in Raw Poultry Establishments [10:29]

EU Report on Food Safety Alerts Highlights Top Hazards, Major Incidents in 2025 [14:04]

California Law Standardizing 'Best By' Dates Now in Effect: What Packaged Food Manufacturers Need to Know [19:16]

Resources

Florida Contaminant Testing Program Raises Concerns Over Arsenic in Candy

Exposure Assessment Consulting

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