The Foodborne Diseases Active Surveillance Network (FoodNet), a federal-state partnership tracking foodborne illnesses, has reduced its surveillance to only salmonella and E. coli. Six other pathogens are no longer actively monitored, raising concerns among food safety experts. This reduction, due to insufficient funding, might hinder the timely detection and response to outbreaks. While other surveillance systems exist, FoodNet is unique in its active, federal-level monitoring of multiple pathogens. Experts fear that this scaled-back approach could compromise food safety efforts and reverse years of progress.

Prepared by Olivia Bennett and reviewed by editorial team.