Christina K. Carstens Ph.D., M.S.

FDA’s CORE+EP team conducts outbreak surveillance, investigation, mitigation, and post-response initiatives for products regulated by the Human Foods Program, including the analysis of outbreak data for food safety decision-making and sharing outbreak findings with food safety stakeholders. 

The Interagency Food Safety Analytics Collaboration's (IFSAC) Annual Report analyzes U.S. foodborne illness outbreak data for priority pathogens and specific foods and food categories. This data helps shape FDA priorities for the upcoming year, informs stakeholders, and helps the agency assess the effectiveness of prevention measures. 

The primary role of FDA's Coordinated Outbreak Response and Evaluation (CORE) Network is to conduct outbreak surveillance, manage the response efforts, and initiate post-outbreak activities for incidents involving FDA-regulated products. This article explores the evolution, work, and perpetual improvement of the CORE Network.