Given the importance of risk assessment to public health decisions, food safety agencies have established mechanisms to engage the entire food industry on such issues.
This article explores the details of the 2004 Salmonella Enteritidis outbreak, the methods used to link cases of illness and subsequent actions by industry to prevent future outbreaks.
Food safety is a pressing issue for governments, food processors, retailers and consumers worldwide, not only in the meat and seafood industries, but also in the dairy industry.
The terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001 reminded the food industry of obvious vulnerabilities that should be addressed to keep the food supply safe.
Outbreak investigations must focus on identifying the source of contamination, the situations that allowed contaminants to survive and permitted the pathogen to cause illnesses.