FDA Releases Food Safety Prevention Strategies for Salmonellosis, Listeriosis from Mushrooms, Onions
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has announced two new food safety prevention strategies intended to help prevent outbreaks of foodborne salmonellosis and listeriosis associated with imported enoki and wood ear mushrooms, and salmonellosis associated with bulb onions. The strategies are part of FDA’s Foodborne Outbreak Response Improvement Plan under its New Era of Smarter Food Safety. FDA is also working with industry, state, international, and other partners on the development of several other food safety prevention strategies that will be released as they become available.
The prevention strategies are based on findings learned from investigations that are carried out when a foodborne illness outbreak occurs. FDA states that the prevention strategies are an affirmative, deliberate approach undertaken by the agency and relevant stakeholders to help limit or prevent future outbreaks, similar to the approach taken as part of the Leafy Green STEC Action Plan (LGAP). The strategies examine commodity-hazard pairings, potential sources and routes of contamination, and what can be done to reduce future incidences of foodborne illness. The strategies also identify existing knowledge gaps and areas that require focus to inform, as well as promote research and engagement with, external stakeholders for collaborations to protect public health and prevent future outbreaks.