Dr Kevin Roberts

Dr. Kevin Roberts, Ph.D.

Dr. Kevin R. Roberts is a professor in the Department of Hospitality Management at Kansas State University and director of the undergraduate program in hospitality management. Roberts serves as co-director of the Center for Food Safety in Child Nutrition Programs. Roberts worked in the restaurant industry for over 13 years and managed restaurant in Eastern Iowa.

He currently teaches in the areas of foodservice management and hospitality law. He has received outstanding teaching awards from K-State at the college and university levels. His research is related to the application of food safety principles. Specifically, he has conducted research in commercial restaurants, continuing care retirement communities, and school foodservice operations. His current research focuses on behavior change of employees once food safety training has taken place. His interest is in developing alternative food safety training programs and interventions that not only target knowledge, but the antecedents of behavioral intention.

  • Why Foodborne Illnesses Spiked in 2024 and What Foodservice Operations Should Do Now

    Foodborne illnesses increased significantly in 2024, with 1,392 illnesses reported, an increase of just under 25% from 2023. Hospitalizations and deaths resulting from foodborne illnesses more than doubled when compared to the year before. For foodservice professionals, this spike isn't just a statistic, it's a call to action. From restaurants and institutional kitchens to cafeterias and catering operations, the entire foodservice ecosystem must re-examine how it safeguards public health. [...]

  • What Foodservice Professionals Need to Know about the FDA Milk Testing Changes

    In late-April and early-May 2025, headlines across the country and several social media posts stirred concern after reports surfaced that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) had temporarily suspended part of its milk testing program. For foodservice operators, this raises an important question: does this change compromise the safety of milk—and by extension, dairy products served in commercial kitchens, cafeterias, and restaurants? To clarify, the FDA did not [...]

  • Crafting Effective SOPs to Serve as your Food Safety Foundation

    As I was writing my last blog, I realized I referenced standard operating procedures (SOPs), assuming that every foodservice operation has them. I know that most chain operations have them, but I suspect that several independent operations may not have a set of SOPs developed for their operations. Because of my suspicion, I made a few calls to friends I know who manage independent operations to find out if [...]

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