Food safety incidents
The INFOSAN Secretariat was involved in 53 food safety incidents concerning 58 WHO Member States (MS) and territories from all WHO regions during this second quarter of the year. There were thirty-two incidents involving a biological hazard [Salmonella spp. (12), Listeria monocytogenes (6), Clostridium (3), E. coli (3), hepatitis A virus (3), Norovirus (2), Bacillus cereus (1), mould (1), S. agalactiae (1)]; ten involving an undeclared allergen/ingredient [milk (3), peanut (3), egg (1), mustard (1), pistachio (1), soy (1)]; five involving a chemical hazard [cadmium (1), cyanide (1), methanol (1), patulin (1), solanine (1)]; four involving a physical hazard [metal (2), glass (1), wood (1)]; and two of an unknown hazard.
The food categories most commonly involved in the 53 incidents during the second quarter of 2023 were vegetables and vegetable products (11), fruit and fruit products (8), meat and meat products (7), composite foods (6), herbs spices and condiments (3), milk and dairy products (3), nuts and oilseeds (3), snacks, desserts, and other foods (3), sugar and confectionary (3), alcoholic beverages (1), egg and egg products (1), fish and other seafood (1), legumes and pulses (1), products for special nutritional use (1) and one unknown food source.
Due to the active engagement of INFOSAN members and partners, 35% of incidents were reported to the INFOSAN Secretariat by INFOSAN members (Emergency Contact Points and Focal Points), 28% of those incidents were communicated to the Secretariat through the European Commission’s Rapid Alert System for Food and Feed (RASFF), and 37% through various WHO channels.
These incidents involved 58 WHO Member States and territories from all WHO Regions. The affected Member States were distributed as follows: 33 out of 53 Member States from the European Region, in the Americas 7 out of 47, in the Eastern Mediterranean 6 out of 21, in the Western Pacific 6 out of 21, in Africa 3 out of 35, and in South-East Asia 3 out of 11.
Multiple recalls of frozen berries due to detection of hepatitis A
During the second quarter of the year, the INFOSAN Secretariat responded to several food safety incidents involving frozen berries due to the detection of hepatitis A. One of the incidents involved cases of illness in the United States of America (USA) suspected to be linked to fruit products from Mexico. The INFOSAN Secretariat engaged with authorities in the United States of America and Mexico to request information regarding risk management measures implemented and possible further international distribution.
Mexican authorities shared with the INFOSAN Secretariat the progress of their investigations, which included a joint investigation with authorities in the USA that involved on-the-ground inspections and sample collection. From the inspections, it was determined that no businesses in Mexico were processing the suspected product and sending it to an operator in the USA. No freezing of the products was identified in Mexican facilities. From the samples collected, there were no positive results for hepatitis A virus. Authorities in Mexico also confirmed that there was no epidemiological information for hepatitis A cases in the area where the production of the berries occurred. Additional information is available on the website of the National Service of Health, Safety and Agri-Food Quality of Mexico (Servicio Nacional de Sanidad, Inocuidad y Calidad Agroalimentaria).
Authorities in the USA confirmed that there are 10 cases possibly linked to the consumption of the implicated products present in four states. The strain is identical to the one that caused an outbreak in 2022 of foodborne diseases linked to fresh organic strawberries from Mexico. Investigations are still ongoing. More information from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention from the United States of America is available on their website, here.
The INFOSAN Secretariat will continue engaging INFOSAN members as more information becomes available.
Key facts about hepatitis A:
- Hepatitis A is an inflammation of the liver that can cause mild to severe illness.
- The hepatitis A virus (HAV) is transmitted through ingestion of contaminated food and water or through direct contact with an infectious person.
- Almost everyone recovers fully from hepatitis A with lifelong immunity. However, a very small proportion of people infected with hepatitis A could die from fulminant hepatitis.
- The risk of hepatitis A infection is associated with a lack of safe water and poor sanitation and hygiene (such as contaminated and dirty hands).
- A safe and effective vaccine is available to prevent hepatitis A.
For more information regarding hepatitis A, please visit the World Health Organization’s website, here.
Capacity building
Continuing in the second quarter, the role of INFOSAN has been increasingly crucial for the implementation of the WHO Global Strategy for Food Safety, in particular to assist WHO Member States in achieving global targets for food safety. The INFOSAN Secretariat maintained its efforts by facilitating workshops, simulation exercises, and other customized activities to promote appropriate levels of multisectoral coordination among food safety agencies. These initiatives are tailored to the unique context of each country, ensuring that they receive the support they need to strengthen their food safety systems. By collaborating closely with the INFOSAN Secretariat, WHO Member States can improve their ability to prevent, detect, and respond to food safety events.
Introductory Workshops
Sub-regional introductory workshop with the Pacific Islands
With the support of the WHO Regional Office for the Western Pacific, the INFOSAN Introductory Webinar for Pacific Island Countries was held on 9 May 2023, aiming to raise awareness about how INFOSAN operates during food safety emergencies and promote cooperation among competent authorities in the region. Participants gained a clear understanding of INFOSAN's structure and functioning, as well as roles and responsibilities of INFOSAN members. The webinar provided the opportunity to identify gaps and ways forward to initiate national INFOSAN networks by promoting multisectoral collaboration.
The event concluded with a Q&A session, where participants reflected on how to continue strengthening participation in INFOSAN, in particular during food safety emergencies. The activity has proven successful in triggering initial discussions on practical steps to build stronger food safety emergency response in the region.
Introductory online session with Central American authorities
In May 2023, the INFOSAN Secretariat facilitated an introductory online session with different national authorities in Central America. The session focused on specific functionalities of INFOSAN, including data management and traceability aspects of the Network. Practical information on how INFOSAN enables real-time information exchange during food safety emergencies was provided to the participants. The session also emphasized on INFOSAN’s role in risk communication enabling evidence-based decisions and timely actions.
INFOSAN Introductory Workshop for Egypt and Iraq
In collaboration with the WHO Regional Office for the Eastern Mediterranean, the workshop aimed to offer a comprehensive understanding of INFOSAN’s purpose, functionality, and membership structure. During the session, participants were presented with the roles and responsibilities of INFOSAN members, with a focus on food safety emergencies of international relevance. The INFOSAN Community Website was presented as the main tool of the Network to rapidly exchange information during such emergencies.
The session elaborated on the crucial links between INFOSAN and the International Health Regulations 2005 (IHR) when communicating food safety events with international partners. By the end of the session, participants were equipped with essential knowledge and an understanding of how to further utilize INFOSAN and strengthen international collaboration to respond to common challenges in food safety.
National Workshops
Jordanien
In close collaboration with the WHO Regional Office for the Eastern Mediterranean, an INFOSAN national workshop was held on the occasion of the World Food Safety Day on 7 June 2023 with Jordanian relevant authorities. The workshop started by providing a background of the public health impact of food safety events worldwide. It elaborated on recent national Jordanian experiences responding to food safety events, highlighting the importance of having appropriate and effective mechanisms to promptly share information and enable action.
The workshop aimed to enhance collaboration and information exchange among national authorities and with the INFOSAN Secretariat during food safety events. Therefore, participants reflected on the importance of multisectoral coordination including all relevant food safety stakeholders. The training featured a simulation exercise to offer practical insights into international collaboration during international food safety emergency response.
Burkina Faso
In collaboration with the WHO Regional Office for Africa, a workshop was held in Koudougou, Burkina Faso, on July 5-7, to strengthen national capacities of INFOSAN members. The workshop aimed to identify opportunities and priorities to strengthen the participation of Burkina Faso in the Network. Participants of the hybrid workshop included all INFOSAN members in the country, and WHO and FAO staff participating remotely. The workshop consisted of presentations, discussions, and simulations to better understand the roles and responsibilities of INFOSAN members in responding and efficiently communicating during food safety emergencies.
The workshop resulted in the formulation of a national roadmap for 2024, including the organization of a validation workshop, validation sessions and regular meetings of INFOSAN members in the country.
Mali, Namibia, and Liberia
With the support of the WHO Regional Office in Africa, national workshops were held with relevant authorities in Mali, Namibia, and Liberia. The workshops assisted national authorities in understanding the INFOSAN's role during food safety emergencies and strengthen their overall food safety emergency response core capacities. The workshops offered an overview of INFOSAN's objectives, principles, and operational mechanisms, including the use of its secure communication platform, the INFOSAN Community Website. Participants were educated about the importance of information sharing, collaboration with other food safety authorities, and the establishment of effective communication channels to better respond to food safety emergencies. INFOSAN's national workshops are an essential step for the advancement of food safety key indicators, and to enhance their ability to protect public health.
During the workshops, simulation exercises were conducted to provide practical insights in handling complex international food safety emergencies. These exercises involved fictitious scenarios of foodborne disease outbreaks related to internationally distributed food. Through this experience, participants gained hands-on experience in managing information flow, improving risk communication and to identify potential national gaps in their national response systems.
Sub-regional workshop
Subregional Workshop on Rapid Exchange of Information during Food Safety Emergencies in Central Asia
In the last two decades, Central Asian countries have witnessed significant economic changes that reduced the significance of agriculture in rural areas and increased food imports. The globalization of the food chain has led to a greater emphasis on effective food safety risk management and emergency response mechanisms, necessitating active participation in INFOSAN. IHR Joint External Evaluations in the region highlighted the need to strengthen food safety incident and emergency response systems, including risk communication and countries' involvement in INFOSAN.
To address these challenges, a workshop was conducted to enhance Central Asian countries' ability to exchange information during food safety emergencies using INFOSAN and the One Health approach. The workshop aimed to deepen participants' understanding of INFOSAN, provide hands-on guidance on using the INFOSAN Community Website, and test response mechanisms. Representatives from Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan, including National IHR Focal Points and INFOSAN Emergency Contact Points, took part in the workshop. The event fostered discussions on strengthening information exchange during food safety emergencies and encouraged the use of INFOSAN for notifications and networking among sectors, countries, and the international community. Recommendations were made to implement measures that enhance participation in INFOSAN, and FAO and WHO were asked to provide technical support and resources to support these efforts.