Skip to main content
hpa logo
Topics A-Z:
Search the site:
Home › Topics › Infectious Diseases › Infections A-Z › HPA electronic Foodborne and non-foodborne gastrointestinal Outbreak Surveillance System (eFOSS) ›Foodborne Outbreak epidemiological data
Printer friendly page (opens in new window)

Foodborne Outbreak epidemiological data

Statutory Reporting of Foodborne Outbreaks

The investigation and reporting of foodborne outbreaks within the European Union (EU) became mandatory with Directive 2003/99/EC, the reporting of which was harmonised in 2007. Information from the surveillance of foodborne disease outbreaks are provided on an annual basis to the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA)  for inclusion in the Community Summary Report on Trends and Sources of Zoonoses, Zoonotic Agents, Antimicrobial Resistance and Foodborne Outbreaks in the European Union. The UK reports data for general outbreaks of foodborne infections.

Data on foodborne outbreaks provides information on the severity of disease, the importance of different food types as outbreak vehicles, the agents associated with these food types, along with the factors contributing to the occurrence of foodborne outbreaks. This information is required for targeting actions to improve food safety in the UK and EU.

A food is any substance or product, whether processed, partially processed or unprocessed intended to be, or reasonably expected to be ingested by humans, including drinking water (Reg. (EC) No 178/2002).