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FEATURED INTERVIEW
NATALIE ADAN
Georgia Department of Agriculture
Natalie Adan is originally from Atlanta, GA and graduated with a Bachelor of Science Degree in
Biology from Georgia Southern University. Natalie’s career with the Georgia Department of
Agriculture began in 1996 as a Pesticide Field Agent. She later joined the Food Safety Division as
an Agriculture Sanitarian and then advanced to Agriculture Manager, where she was responsible
for coordinating food recalls and complaints. She later served as the Manufactured Food Program
Manager, where she supported and supervised inspectors conducting inspections for food
processing plants and dairy facilities across the State of Georgia.
In August 2013, Natalie was appointed Division Director over the Department's Food Safety
Division. As the Division Director, she oversees manufactured food, retail food, dairy, poultry and
egg grading services. Natalie is committed to helping develop and implement a fully integrated food safety system rooted
in public health principles and focused on prevention. Natalie completed the International Food Protection Training
Institute’s Fellowship in Food Protection Program in 2011 and actively participates in many food safety associations.
GEHA: What are your favorite things about Georgia?
Natalie Adan: I was born and raised in Atlanta, GA. Georgia has beautiful mountains, lakes, city living and the
coast… something for everyone, what’s not to love! Not to mention the southern hospitality and melting pot, which
brings a variety of food products to Georgia. Statistics show, one out of seven Georgians works in agriculture,
forestry, or some related sector. Agriculture contributes to more than $71.1 billion to Georgia’s economy. It’s
exciting to be involved with an industry that means so much to our state, as well as providing to the worlds food
supply.
GEHA: What, in your opinion, will be the most important environmental health issues over the next few years?
Natalie Adan: In my opinion, the most important environmental health issues are collaboration, new scientific
research, and the newly regulated industry.
Collaboration involves local, state, and federal regulatory agencies but also an important piece is industry and
academia. We are all stakeholders in food safety and ultimately work towards the common goal of public health.
Commissioner Black has said, food safety is not a destination but a journey. I believe this to be true as food safety
has an ever changing landscape.
As scientific research continues to develop we are able to identify the sources of outbreaks at a faster and more
accurate rate. Additionally, the progress made with scientific technology has allowed us to identify trace amounts of
pesticides, chemicals, etc. to a degree that there is ultimately no more “zero”. This provides the need to further
determine tolerance limits and action levels.
With the passing of the Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA), U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is
proposing seven new rules. These proposed rules are currently in comment period or being revised for additional
comments. Some of these proposed rules will mean additional regulations on an already regulated industry while
other regulations will be targeted at newly regulated industry. For all of this to successfully come together we must
work cooperatively with other agency partners as well as the regulated industry.
GEHA: How can Georgia environmental health professionals help to address these issues?
Natalie Adan: We need to work in the field, work on projects, and train together. We need to use science
based information to make sound decisions.
Continued next page...
24 Georgia Environmentalist Volume 36
NATALIE ADAN
Georgia Department of Agriculture
Natalie Adan is originally from Atlanta, GA and graduated with a Bachelor of Science Degree in
Biology from Georgia Southern University. Natalie’s career with the Georgia Department of
Agriculture began in 1996 as a Pesticide Field Agent. She later joined the Food Safety Division as
an Agriculture Sanitarian and then advanced to Agriculture Manager, where she was responsible
for coordinating food recalls and complaints. She later served as the Manufactured Food Program
Manager, where she supported and supervised inspectors conducting inspections for food
processing plants and dairy facilities across the State of Georgia.
In August 2013, Natalie was appointed Division Director over the Department's Food Safety
Division. As the Division Director, she oversees manufactured food, retail food, dairy, poultry and
egg grading services. Natalie is committed to helping develop and implement a fully integrated food safety system rooted
in public health principles and focused on prevention. Natalie completed the International Food Protection Training
Institute’s Fellowship in Food Protection Program in 2011 and actively participates in many food safety associations.
GEHA: What are your favorite things about Georgia?
Natalie Adan: I was born and raised in Atlanta, GA. Georgia has beautiful mountains, lakes, city living and the
coast… something for everyone, what’s not to love! Not to mention the southern hospitality and melting pot, which
brings a variety of food products to Georgia. Statistics show, one out of seven Georgians works in agriculture,
forestry, or some related sector. Agriculture contributes to more than $71.1 billion to Georgia’s economy. It’s
exciting to be involved with an industry that means so much to our state, as well as providing to the worlds food
supply.
GEHA: What, in your opinion, will be the most important environmental health issues over the next few years?
Natalie Adan: In my opinion, the most important environmental health issues are collaboration, new scientific
research, and the newly regulated industry.
Collaboration involves local, state, and federal regulatory agencies but also an important piece is industry and
academia. We are all stakeholders in food safety and ultimately work towards the common goal of public health.
Commissioner Black has said, food safety is not a destination but a journey. I believe this to be true as food safety
has an ever changing landscape.
As scientific research continues to develop we are able to identify the sources of outbreaks at a faster and more
accurate rate. Additionally, the progress made with scientific technology has allowed us to identify trace amounts of
pesticides, chemicals, etc. to a degree that there is ultimately no more “zero”. This provides the need to further
determine tolerance limits and action levels.
With the passing of the Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA), U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is
proposing seven new rules. These proposed rules are currently in comment period or being revised for additional
comments. Some of these proposed rules will mean additional regulations on an already regulated industry while
other regulations will be targeted at newly regulated industry. For all of this to successfully come together we must
work cooperatively with other agency partners as well as the regulated industry.
GEHA: How can Georgia environmental health professionals help to address these issues?
Natalie Adan: We need to work in the field, work on projects, and train together. We need to use science
based information to make sound decisions.
Continued next page...
24 Georgia Environmentalist Volume 36
