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Ellen Shumaker, PhD

Director of Outreach, Safe Plates Program

Extension Associate

4101 Beryl Road, 220E

Bio

Dr. Ellen Shumaker directs the outreach and extension activities for the Safe Plates program, NC State Extension’s evidence-based food safety programming and resources for retail, community and home-based food safety. She designs, implements, and evaluates a variety of food safety messages throughout the farm to fork continuum. She also develops and delivers food safety programs for food retailers, farmers’ markets, consumers, and other community groups.

Programs and Initiatives

  • Safe Plates Food Safety Information Center
  • Safe Plates for Food Managers
  • Safe Plates for Food Handlers
  • Retail HACCP and Variances

Contributing Websites

Selected Publications

  • Shumaker, E., Kirchner, M., Cates, S., Shelley, L., Goulter, R., Goodson, L., Bernstein, C., Lavallee, A., Jaykus, L., Chapman, B. (2022). An Observational Study of the Impact of a Food Safety Intervention on Consumer Poultry Washing. Journal of Food Protection. doi: https://doi.org/10.4315/JFP-21-397
  • Ruzante, J. M., Shumaker, E. T., Holt, S., Mayer, S., Kokotovich, A., Cuchiara, M., Binder, A. R., Kuzma, J., & Grieger, K. (2022). Eliciting stakeholder perceptions using a novel online engagement platform: A case study on nano-agrifoods. RTI Press. RTI Press Occasional Paper No. OP-0071-2201 https://doi.org/10.3768/rtipress.2022.op.0071.2201
  • Duong, M., Shumaker, E.T., Cates, S., Shelley, L., Goodson, L., Bernstein, C., Lavallee, A., Kirchner, M., Goulter, R., Jaykus, L., & Chapman, B. (2020). An observational study of thermometer use by consumers when preparing ground turkey patties. Journal of Food Protection, 83(7), 1167–1174. https://doi.org/10.4315/JFP-19-594
  • Shumaker, E. T., Doherty, I., Sifleet, S., Chapman, B., Pierce, A., Ham, M., & Kowalcyk, B. (2019). Risk factors for foodborne illness in temporary eating establishments in North Carolina. Food Protection Trends, 39(3), 218–224.
    https://www.foodprotection.org/publications/food-protection-trends/archive/2019-05-risk-factors-for-foodborne-illness-in-temporary-eating-establishments-in-north-carolina
  • Smolinski, H. S., Wang, S., Ren, L., Chen, Y., Kowalcyk, B., Thomas, E., van Doren, J., Ryser, E. T. (2018). Transfer and redistribution of salmonella typhimurium lt2 and Escherichia coli o157:h7 during pilot-scale processing of baby spinach, cilantro, and romaine lettuce. Journal of Food Protection, 81(6), 953–962. https://doi.org/10.4315/0362-028X.JFP-17-420
  • Thomas, E. M., Binder, A. R., McLaughlin, A., Jaykus, L-A., Hanson, D., Powell, D., & Chapman, B. (2016). Assessment of risk communication about undercooked hamburgers by restaurant servers. Journal of Food Protection, 79(12), 2113–2118. https://doi.org/10.4315/0362-028X.JFP-16-065
  • Thomas, E., Chapman, B., Jaykus, L., & Phister, T. (2014). Tracing temperature patterns of cut leafy greens during service. Journal of Food Protection, 9, 1495–1500. https://doi.org/10.4315/0362-028X.JFP-14-121

Education

BS Biology Davidson College

MS Food Science NC State University

PhD Food Science NC State University

Area(s) of Expertise

  • Consumer Food Safety
  • Retail Food Safety
  • Food Safety Culture

Groups