FSIS Posts FY 2023 Foodborne Illness Outbreak Investigations Summary Report

The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS), Office of Public Health Science, Applied Epidemiology Staff, coordinates the FSIS response to foodborne illness outbreaks that may involve FSIS-regulated products. This includes outbreaks caused by four foodborne pathogens that most frequently contaminate FSIS-regulated products: Salmonella, Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli (STEC), Listeria monocytogenes, and Campylobacter. FSIS may investigate illnesses associated with other, less common, foodborne pathogens (e.g., Clostridium botulinum) if they are potentially associated with FSIS-regulated products. A summary of outbreaks investigated during FY 2023 is now available on the FSIS website and includes information on pathogens, implicated sources, illnesses, and lessons learned from outbreak investigation after-action reviews.

The report summarizes outbreaks that FSIS investigated in Fiscal Year 2023 from October 1, 2022, to September 30, 2023. FSIS investigated six outbreaks in coordination with local, state, and federal public health partners. These outbreaks involved more than 100 illnesses and 30 hospitalizations. Of the six outbreaks investigated by FSIS in FY 2023, three were caused by Salmonella (serotypes Newport, Saintpaul, and Typhimurium) and two by STEC (serogroup O157:H7). The sixth investigation involved a report of botulism that included commercially canned potted meat (containing chicken and pork) as a potential source.