what is a foodborne illness outbreak

A foodborne illness outbreak occurs when two or more people get the same illness from the same contaminated food or drink. The event is usually reported to the local, state, or federal health department, which then investigates the outbreak to identify the source of contamination and prevent further spread of the illness. The investigation involves collecting information from the affected individuals, such as what they ate and where they ate it, and analyzing the data to identify commonalities. If the investigation implicates a specific food or meal as the source of the illness, the outbreak is considered confirmed. The investigation may also involve laboratory testing of food samples and clinical specimens to identify the specific pathogen responsible for the illness. The goal of investigating a foodborne illness outbreak is to control it, so more people do not get sick in the outbreak, and to learn how to prevent similar outbreaks from happening in the future.