Sharrann Simmons has more than 20 years of experience in the food, pharmaceutical and chemical industries. She is currently the director of product marketing for Silliker, Inc., a Merieux NutriSciences Company. Silliker is a global leader in food safety and quality, and serves as a trusted partner to assure food quality, safety, and better nutrition across the supply chain worldwide. She is responsible for marketing strategy development, innovation process management, new product launches and pricing strategy for the Silliker portfolio of food safety and quality testing services in North America, including consulting, auditing, training and nutritional services for the food industry. Most recently, Ms. Simmons was marketing director of Cognis Nutrition & Health (now a part of BASF), a global specialty chemical company. She holds BS and MS degrees in food science from Purdue University, and has also attended the executive MBA program at Northwestern University’s Kellogg School of Graduate Management. Her career has included positions in general management, research and development, marketing, technical sales and product management for leading global food and ingredient companies. In 2003, Simmons was honored by Purdue University as a distinguished alumni for the School of Agriculture. Purdue also selected her to receive the Outstanding Food Science Award in 2004. She is actively involved in supporting the Executive in the Classroom program at Purdue and in volunteering for PADS, a Chicago initiative to provide homeless shelters and other services to the homeless.

 
Health E-Insights: How safe is the food we eat?
 
Ms. Simmons: Despite the publicity around recalls and food pathogen outbreaks, the U.S. food supply continues to be the safest and most abundant in the world. As we consolidate food processing operations and develop new types of processing, there will need to be increased testing, both for microbiological pathogens and chemical contaminants. Economic adulteration, as we saw in the melamine crisis, continues to be a concern but can be easily combated with vigilant testing for chemical contamination.
 
Health E-Insights: What is the main global challenge we face in the health and wellness arena?
 
Ms. Simmons: Global hunger is one of the most challenging health issues with lots of difficult implications. Do we try to genetically modify crops to increase yield and feed more people or it is better to only to use natural products to feed large masses? Even in well developed countries like the U.S., Germany or the U.K., there are issues with a growing gap between the upper income class and those living in poverty and hunger. Another major issue is the widespread use of antibiotics leading to increased bacteria and virus mutations with infections that are resistant to most known antibiotics. And finally, no government today does not think and plan for defense of their food system from a terrorist attack of some sort.
 
Health E-Insights: Which country will ultimately lead the way for enhanced food safety?
 
Ms. Simmons: The U.S. should lead and champion the goal of enhanced food safety. The passage of the historic Food Safety and Modernization Act (FSMA) this year is a major step toward enhanced food safety for the U.S. This new law also contains many implications for imported foods, which will have a positive impact on the food safety of many exporting countries.
 
Health E-Insights: With your company’s recent brand evolution, has that changed the corporate culture?
 
Ms. Simmons: The brand evolution of Merieux NutriSciences has given our company more focus, with a clear vision and path for profitable growth. The Silliker component of Merieux NutriSciences brings a rich heritage of innovation in food safety and quality management, which is complemented by our sister businesses, Biofortis and Bioagri. Working together under the common banner of Merieux NutriSciences has given our corporation an even greater global approach to supporting food safety, nutrition and health. Also, the scientific know-how of Merieux NutriSciences’ various activities has enabled us to significantly enlarge our research and development programs.
 
Health E-Insights: What is the most distinct aspect of your office?
 
Ms. Simmons: I work in downtown Chicago, on the 23rd floor, so I have a magnificent view of the iconic Chicago skyline and Lake Michigan.
 
Health E-Insights: What’s your favorite thing do on the weekend?
 
Ms. Simmons: I am quite the movie buff, so I love to go to the movies on Friday evenings to see the newest releases on the “big screen.” 
 
Sheldon Baker wants to interview you. For more information contact Sheldon at [email protected]. And visit his website at www.bakerdillon.com.He can also be reached on Twitter @NutraInk.