Researchers have developed a new quantitative risk assessment model for foodborne illness outbreak investigations that takes into account epidemic curves, and demonstrated its efficacy with a case study on a 2019 Salmonella outbreak linked to precut melons. 

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has released an outline of a prevention strategy that is under development for Cronobacter sakazakii contamination of powdered infant formula and enhance food safety. A notable action includes supporting the elevation of Cronobacter sakazakii infection among infants as a nationally notifiable disease.

A recent attribution analysis aimed to understand the epidemiological characteristics of foodborne illness outbreaks related to meat and meat products in China from 2002–2017.

A new website allows Kentucky residents report foodborne illnesses and centralizes statewide data on foodborne diseases.

Based on Foodborne Diseases Active Surveillance Network (FoodNet) data, a U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) report states that the incidence of commonly foodborne enteric infections decreased in the U.S. during 2021.

The International Association for Food Protection (IAFP) and the Institute for the Advancement of Food and Nutrition Sciences (IAFNS) have formalized an agreement to address the increasing risks associated with foodborne illness through collaborations in research, training, and education.

Ciguatera toxin, which does not break down during cooking, can cause severe foodborne illness in humans who consume contaminated reef fish that feed on toxic microalgae. Climate change is altering algal and seaweed growth patterns, which may impact the rate of ciguatoxin accumulation by these fish species.

FDA Coordinated Outbreak Response and Evaluation Network (CORE), in collaboration with the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), and state and local public health and regulatory partners, conduct foodborne illness outbreak investigations, including those related to Cyclospora cayetanensis infections. In this article, the authors review the successes and challenges of identifying and responding to outbreaks caused by C. cayetanensis infections since 2013, the progress made, the challenges remaining, and what the future holds.

This column will expand on the findings of the FDA study of the economic evaluation of the GenomeTrakr whole genome sequencing (WGS) program, adding data on the use of sequencing and how it will continue to change food safety practices and markets. It will also discuss what FDA is doing with GenomeTrackr to uncover previously unseen outbreaks and how this is keeping pressure on processors to expand environmental monitoring and controls.

Foodborne illness infections in 2020 decreased as compared to the years 2017 to 2019.