he U.S. Department of Justice’s Consumer Protection Branch has launched a criminal investigation against Abbott Nutrition due to the 2022 foodborne illness outbreak linked to powdered infant formula manufactured at the company’s Sturgis, Michigan facility. 

There was an overall increase in reported cases of zoonotic diseases and foodborne illness outbreaks in 2021 compared to 2020, the latest EU One Health 2021 Zoonoses Report revealed. However, cases and outbreaks are still below the levels seen before the COVID-19 pandemic.

A recent study has identified eggs as the most common source of salmonellosis in Europe, where Salmonella is the leading cause of foodborne illness outbreaks.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has announced that it will conduct targeted sampling of leafy greens as part of the Leafy Greens STEC Action Plan (LGAP). The agency also provided updates on the progress of LGAP and a summary report of a 2021 sampling assignment.

The Retail Food Safety Regulatory Association Collaborative has compiled a resource library for retail food regulatory professionals to support effective foodborne illness outbreak investigations, amid National Food Safety Education Month 2022.

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has summarized its investigations of possible multistate outbreaks caused by Salmonella, Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli (STEC), and Listeria monocytogenes in 2017–2020. 

A study published in China CDC Weekly gives insight into the mortality rate of past foodborne botulism outbreaks in China, and also points out seasonal, regional, and product trends associated with botulism cases.

A report by the Finnish Food Authority summarizes the country’s recalls, foodborne illness outbreaks, and fraudulent activities for 2021. 

The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service (USDA’s FSIS) has published its annual report on FSIS Foodborne Illness Outbreak Investigations for Fiscal Year 2021 (FY 2021) and key after-action reviews.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and the U.S. Department of Agriculture have developed a collaborative approach to improve the coordination of multistate outbreak investigations.