20 Years of Sprout-Related Outbreaks: FDA's Investigative Efforts

Abstract

Background. The Coordinated Outbreak Response and Evaluation Network (CORE) of the Food and Drug Administration is a multidisciplinary team that evaluates, investigates, and guides prevention efforts of foodborne illness outbreaks. Working with its federal, state, and local public health, agriculture, and laboratory colleagues, CORE investigates outbreaks attributed to FDA-regulated food products.Methods. Using data from the FDA CORE Outbreak Database and the FDA Emergency Operations Network system, foodborne illness outbreaks of FDA-regulated food products were analyzed by product category; year; pathogen; and number of illnesses, hospitalizations, and deaths.