IFSAC Releases Annual Report for 2022 on Sources of Foodborne Illness

The Interagency Food Safety Analytics Collaboration’s (IFSAC) newest annual report, “Foodborne illness source attribution estimates for Salmonella, Escherichia coli O157, and Listeria monocytogenes – United States, 2022” is now available.

IFSAC is a collaboration between the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the U. S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the U.S. Department of Agriculture Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS). The group was established in 2011 to improve coordination of federal food safety analytic efforts and address cross-cutting priorities for food safety data collection, analysis and use.

CDC estimates that, together, these priority pathogens — Salmonella, Escherichia coli O157, Campylobacter, and Listeria monocytogenes — cause nearly two million cases of foodborne illnesses in the U.S. each year. IFSAC analyzes foodborne illness outbreak data for priority pathogens and specific foods and food categories that are responsible for foodborne illnesses in the United States. The data are analyzed by calendar year and released in annual reports as part of ongoing efforts to understand sources of foodborne illness in the United States.

Attribution estimates for Campylobacter are not presented in the 2022 report. Evidence suggests the sources of Campylobacter outbreaks likely differ considerably from the sources of non-outbreak-associated illnesses caused by this pathogen. IFSAC is exploring alternative approaches for estimating the sources of Campylobacter illnesses.

The updated estimates, combined with other data, can help shape agencies’ priorities and inform the creation of targeted interventions that may help reduce foodborne illnesses caused by these pathogens. These estimates also inform interested parties and improve the agencies’ ability to assess whether prevention measures are working.

For more information, visit IFSAC projects or email IFSAC@fda.hhs.gov.