When a foodborne outbreak occurs within the United States and the suspect product is one of foreign origin, government agencies and food producers must work together efficiently to identify the cause of the outbreak.
Retailers are facing increased responsibility for food recalls of products they sell…and may be held liable for failure to initiate their own recall plan in a timely manner.
When the U.S. Food and Drug Administration’s Coordinated Outbreak Response and Evaluation Network began operating in August 2011, it was structured to respond to foodborne illness outbreaks in three interdependent phases.