Issue Online marketplaces complicating foodborne outbreak tracing

Summary

Among the longer-term uncertainties for foodborne disease, the report points to changes in how food is distributed. Online marketplaces and unregulated distribution chains could become more common. In the report's judgement, this could complicate tracing and make outbreaks of foodborne disease harder to manage. It explains that contamination can occur at every stage of the food chain, from the farm through processing, preparation, distribution and storage to cross-contamination in the kitchen. It also observes that pathogens can enter the supply at many points, so reliance on global supply chains makes tracing harder, and it warns that consumers seeking cheaper food under economic pressure may face greater exposure to food fraud.