Today, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA) Coordinated Outbreak Response & Evaluation (CORE) Network released its annual report summarizing the investigations of foodborne outbreaks and adverse events in FDA-regulated human foods for the 2023 calendar year.

The FDA’s CORE Network was established in 2011 with the mission to find, stop, and aid in the prevention of foodborne illness outbreaks. This is accomplished through disease surveillance, outbreak response, post-response activities, and collaboration with CDC, state and local public health agencies, and international public health partners. Every year, CORE evaluates and responds to numerous foodborne outbreaks and adverse events linked to FDA-regulated products.

In October 2024, FDA’s Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition (CFSAN) reorganized into FDA’s Human Foods Program (HFP). With this change, CORE reorganized into the Office of Coordinated Outbreak Response, Evaluation, & Emergency Preparedness (CORE+EP). This report is for the 2023 calendar year and reflects the work that was conducted by CORE, CFSAN, and other respective FDA offices prior to the reorganization.

In 2023, CORE evaluated 69 incidents, responded to 25, and issued advisories for 10. These numbers remain similar to recent years, with 65 incidents evaluated, 28 responses, and 11 advisories issued in 2022. CORE investigations resulted in numerous public health actions, including recalls, public health advisories, a Warning Letter, FDA prevention strategies, and country-wide Import Alerts. These are further described in the report.

“CORE has also played a central role in developing and implementing key regulations, including the Final Rule for Traceability under the Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA). CORE members are participants in the FDA Cyclospora Task Force focused on reducing the public health burden of foodborne illness caused by C. cayetanensis in produce. Additionally, our office actively works with food safety partners outside the agency to continue progress of the FDA-SENASICA-COFEPRIS Food Safety Partnership (FSP) with Mexico. These examples highlight just a few of the activities CORE engages in outside of outbreak and adverse event investigations. Dr. Stic Harris, CORE Network Director noted. I’m pleased to share with you some of CORE’s many achievements highlighted in the 2023 annual report.”

The 2023 annual report highlights a few noteworthy outbreaks: illnesses linked to toxins from morel mushrooms, lead linked to cinnamon in applesauce pouches, and Listeria monocytogenes linked to soft serve ice cream cups.