Key Players in Foodborne Outbreak Response

Local, State, and Federal Agencies

Public health agencies that identify and investigate foodborne illnesses operate on several levels. Which agency or agencies participate in an investigation depends on the size and scope of the outbreak. Sometimes one agency starts an investigation and then calls on other agencies as more illnesses are reported across county or state lines.

Local agencies—Most foodborne outbreaks are local events. Public health officials in just one city or county health department investigate these outbreaks.
State agencies—Typically, the state health department investigates outbreaks that spread across several cities or counties. This department often works with the state department of agriculture and with federal food safety agencies (see following).
Federal agencies—For outbreaks that involve large numbers of people or severe or unusual illness, a state may ask for help from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). CDC usually leads investigations of widespread outbreaks—those that affect many states at once. States communicate regularly with one another and with CDC about outbreaks and ongoing investigations.
CDC routinely collaborates with federal food safety agencies, such as the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) or Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS), part of the U.S. Department of Agriculture, throughout all phases of an outbreak investigation. FDA and FSIS, by law, oversee U.S. food safety and regulate the food industry with inspection and enforcement. In the case of an outbreak of foodborne illness, they work to find out why it occurred, take steps to control it, and look for ways to prevent future outbreaks. They may trace foods to their origins, test foods, assess food safety measures in restaurants and food processing facilities, lead farm investigations, and announce food recalls.