Food safety incidents

The INFOSAN Secretariat was involved in 47 food safety incidents concerning 37 WHO Member States (MS) and territories during this fourth and last quarter of the year. There were 30 incidents involving a biological hazard [Salmonella spp. (12), Listeria monocytogenes (6), Clostridium botulinum (3), E. coli (2), Yersinia enterocolitica (2), Hepatitis A (1), Cronobacter (1), Norovirus (1), Shigella sp. (1), and Staphylococcus (1)]; seven involving a chemical hazard [lead (2), methyl alcohol (2), histamine (1), thebaine (1), and unidentified (1)]; five involving a physical hazard [glass (2), metal (2), and plastic (1)]; three involving an undeclared allergen/ingredient [sulphite (1), wheat (1) and allergens (1)] and two involving unidentified hazards.

The food categories most commonly involved in the 47 incidents during the fourth quarter of 2022 were meat and meat products (8), vegetables and vegetable products (6), composite food (6), food for infant and small children (4), milk and dairy products (4), unidentified food commodities (4), snacks, desserts, and other foods (3), fish and other seafood (3), alcoholic beverages (2), fruit and fruits products (2), herbs, spices and condiments (2), non-alcoholic beverages (2), and nuts and oilseeds (1).

Due to the active engagement of INFOSAN members and partners, 60% of incidents were reported to the INFOSAN Secretariat by INFOSAN members (Emergency Contact Points and Focal Points), 15% of those incidents were communicated to the Secretariat through the European Commission’s Rapid Alert System for Food and Feed (RASFF), and 25% through various WHO channels.

Geographic scope

These incidents involved 37 WHO Member States and territories from all WHO Regions. The affected Member States were distributed as follows: 22 out of 53 Member States from the European Region, 4 out of 35 in the Americas, 3 out of 27 in the Western Pacific, 3 out of 21 in the Eastern Mediterranean, 3 out of 11 in South-East Asia, and 2 out of 47 in Africa.

Multi-country Outbreak of Salmonella Mbandaka possibly linked to chicken products

On 13 September 2022, multi-country outbreaks and clusters of Salmonella Mbandaka have been reported in nine WHO Member States, with 196 identified cases as of 8 November 2022, according to the European Center for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC). Nineteen of those cases were hospitalized, five had septicemia and one case died in the United Kingdom. Current investigations suggest that the outbreak is linked to ready-to-eat chicken products. Further information about the outbreaks can be found on the Rapid Outbreak Assessment published by the ECDC.

On 20 December 2022, a multilateral meeting was organized with the participation of INFOSAN colleagues in the United Kingdom and Israel. The meeting was also attended by ECDC colleagues. The meeting aimed to exchange information on the outbreak situation, as well as the food chain investigations in the concerned countries.

At this stage, epidemiological data and microbiological evidence from Whole Genome Sequencing of human isolates indicate there could be several active sources through different food distribution chains, with a likely common source higher up in the chicken supply chain. Investigations are ongoing and further information will be provided when available.

News & Activities

Regional Meeting to Strengthen INFOSAN in Asia-Pacific

On 6 and 7 December 2022, the INFOSAN Secretariat delivered a Regional Meeting for INFOSAN members in Asia-Pacific. This meeting was co-hosted by the Republic of Korea and organized jointly by FAO and WHO Food Safety Regional Advisors. The opening remarks were delivered by the Minister Yu-Kyoung Oh (Ministry of Food and Drug Safety – Republic of Korea), Dr Luz Maria De Regil (Unit Head, Multisectoral Action in Food Systems Unit – WHO), and Sridhar Dharmapuri (Senior Food Safety and Nutrition officer for Asia and Pacific Region – FAO).

INFOSAN members from ten Member States in Asia-Pacific joined the meeting to receive updates from the INFOSAN Secretariat about the activities performed by the INFOSAN Secretariat to further develop and strengthen the network in the region during 2022; to share their feedback with the INFOSAN Secretariat, in particular concerning obstacles and barriers on active participation in the Network; to discuss methods to strengthen food safety emergency response in their country and at the regional level; and to understand the possible role of FAO/WHO Regional Codex Coordinators in the food safety emergency response.

The meeting included several topics of interests, including a panel discussion related to the multi-country outbreak of Salmonella linked to chocolate products, with an intervention from Palau, and a break-out group session to plan activities to be undertaken in 2023 to strengthen INFOSAN and related capacities in alignment with the WHO Global Food Safety Strategy 2022-2030.

Ninth Regional Meeting to Strengthen INFOSAN in the Americas

On 9-10 November 2022, members of the INFOSAN in the Americas met in Brasilia, Brazil, for the ninth regional meeting to strengthen INFOSAN in the Americas.

After three years since the last face-to-face meeting, and two meetings held virtually, the 9th Meeting to Strengthen INFOSAN in the Americas was celebrated in the context of the Regional Strategy to Strengthen INFOSAN in the Americas. The meeting was organized in conjunction with the 16^th Annual Meeting of the PulseNet Latin America and the Caribbean Network, a network for regional surveillance of foodborne diseases through molecular subtyping of aetiological agents. During the opening of the INFOSAN meeting, Member States were contextualized on the relevance of their participation in the network and the importance of international and inter-network collaboration with an interest in food safety. Member States were invited to continue to set a regional example for the response to international food safety emergencies, and to strengthen collaboration with other networks at regional and global level, in order to better cope with future emergencies.

Throughout the two-day meeting, Member States were updated on the activities carried out by the network in 2022, as well as provided with an update on the implementation of the INFOSAN Regional Strategy. Member States reflected on progress and identified key points for moving forward with the Regional Strategy, moving closer to the framework of the WHO Global Strategy for Food Safety. Member States analysed and discussed the response to a recent international food safety emergency, focusing on lessons learned and areas of opportunity for future emergencies. Member States underlined the importance of continuing to collaborate with other networks operating during food safety emergencies. In this spirit, there were joint sessions with the PulseNet Regional Meeting, allowing Member States to strengthen working links that foster coordination and improve planning for response to food safety emergencies. The meeting also provided an opportunity for WHO Member States to discuss at regional and national levels for the development of National Action Plans for strengthening INFOSAN at national and regional levels by 2023.