FoodNet will now require state health departments to track only two pathogens — salmonella and Shiga toxin-producing E. coli<\/p>\n<\/h3>\n
By I. Edwards HealthDay Reporter<\/b>
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FRIDAY, Aug. 29, 2025 (HealthDay News) \u2014 Federal health officials have cut back a long-running program that tracks foodborne illnesses in the United States.<\/p>\n
The Foodborne Diseases Active Surveillance Network, known as FoodNet<\/a>, will now require state health departments to track only two pathogens \u2014 salmonella and Shiga toxin-producing E. coli<\/em> \u2014 according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).<\/p>\n Until July, the program monitored infections caused by eight pathogens, The Associated Press <\/em>reported.<\/p>\n The change affects 10 states participating in FoodNet, a joint federal-state system established in 1995 that tracks foodborne infections among roughly 16% of the U.S. population.<\/p>\n \u201cFoodNet doesn\u2019t just count cases,\u201d Carlota Medus<\/a>, who supervises the Minnesota Department of Health\u2019s foodborne diseases unit, told The AP<\/em>. \u201cThe FoodNet sites collect robust data that contribute to the understanding of certain infections.\u201d<\/p>\n FoodNet sites include health departments in Colorado, Connecticut, Georgia, Maryland, Minnesota, New Mexico, Oregon, Tennessee and some counties in California and New York.<\/p>\n Previously, health departments were also required to track campylobacter, cyclospora, listeria, shigella, vibrio and Yersinia. Reporting on these infections is now optional.<\/p>\n CDC spokesperson Paul Prince<\/a> told The AP <\/em>that narrowing reporting requirements \u201cwill allow FoodNet staff to prioritize core activities\u201d and \u201csteward resources effectively.\u201d Officials did not clarify whether the decision is linked to recent federal funding cuts.<\/p>\n However, some experts warn that the reduction could make it harder to detect outbreaks and understand emerging food safety risks.<\/p>\n \u201cLong term, it will affect our ability to use surveillance data to better understand risks in the food supply,\u201d Medus said.<\/p>\n FoodNet was launched as a partnership of the CDC, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and several other states.<\/p>\n By collecting detailed data on foodborne illnesses, the program has helped track infection rates across the nation.<\/p>\n Without this broader data, former FDA food safety official Frank Yiannas<\/a> warned that \u201cwe won\u2019t know as accurately as possible if we\u2019re getting better or worse in respect to certain pathogens.\u201d<\/p>\n More information<\/strong><\/p>\n Learn more about FoodNet<\/a>.<\/p>\n