In a new video and infographic, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has provided an overview of the traceback process used during foodborne illness outbreaks to investigate a food’s path through the supply chain.
Typically, in a traceback investigation, investigators trace food that sickened people have reported eating back to a farm or production facility. Finding commonalities in the supply chains of foods eaten by case patients helps investigators hone in on a potential source of the outbreak.
The new video explores how the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) works with public health authorities to learn more about what could be making consumers sick, and if an FDA-regulated food product is identified, how FDA investigates the cause of the outbreak and works with industry to remove any potentially contaminated product from store shelves. FDA, CDC, and local and state partners also work together to warn the public, as appropriate, and to help prevent additional illnesses.
