Between 2017 and 2019, Canadian public health laboratories transitioned to whole genome sequencing (WGS) for foodborne illness outbreak surveillance. A recent study shows the positive impact of this transition of national outbreak detection and response for important foodborne pathogens.
A new app developed by University of Zurich (UZH) researchers, in collaboration with the World Health Organization (WHO), can aid the early detection of contagious outbreaks, such as gastrointestinal (GI) diseases contracted by people traveling abroad.
UK Food Standards Agency (FSA) surveillance of food purchased at retail in 2023–2024
found 87 percent of samples to be compliant with food safety and authenticity standards. Undeclared allergens, adulteration, mislabeling, and other noncompliances were reported.
Penn State University researchers have demonstrated the usefulness of wastewater monitoring for foodborne pathogen surveillance, after successfully isolating Salmonella from wastewater samples and linking them to clinical isolates from an existing foodborne illness outbreak.
The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) recently published an analysis of national data regarding cases and outbreaks of non-typhoidal Salmonella from 2013–2022.
The World Health Organization (WHO) Alliance for Food Safety will convene for its inception meeting in May. The Alliance is intended to address target goals for foodborne disease surveillance capacity-building set forth in the WHO Global Strategy for Food Safety 2022–2030.
The World Health Organization (WHO) recently published a three-part guide describing how whole genome sequencing (WGS) can be used as a tool to strengthen foodborne illness surveillance and response.
The UK Food Standards Agency (FSA) recently published the findings of a targeted surveillance sampling program conducted during the COVID-19 pandemic to identify emerging food safety risks and increase knowledge of the food system.
A survey of non-typhoidal Salmonella (NTS)found on retail foods sold in the UK has shown the overall prevalence of Salmonella to be low, although there is great genetic diversity among the Salmonella that was present, which may hinder outbreak investigations and source attribution in the case of foodborne illness outbreaks.
