Outbreaks of foodborne illness

A foodborne illness outbreak is defined as the occurrence of at least two cases with similar symptoms—typically gastrointestinal—that can be traced to a single food source. In France, such outbreaks have been subject to mandatory reporting since 1987.

Our Mission

  • Monitoring the epidemiological trends of foodborne outbreaks and describing the characteristics of foodborne illnesses

  • Identify foods, high-risk products, and/or pathogens to stop transmission, guide control and prevention measures, and evaluate their impact in collaboration with the relevant authorities

  • Inform the general public

  • Contribute to food safety

In brief

Videos, infographics, key statistics, expert interviews… Find the latest news and key information on outbreaks of foodborne illness here

Visuel illustratif

news

Nearly 2,000 outbreaks of foodborne illness were reported in France in 2022

The disease

Outbreaks of foodborne illness in France

A foodborne illness outbreak is defined as the occurrence of at least two cases with similar symptoms, typically gastrointestinal, whose cause can be traced to a single food source. In France, foodborne illness outbreaks have been subject to mandatory...

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What We Do

Foodborne infectious diseases, such as foodborne illness outbreaks, pose a health risk to the public. Between 10,000 and 16,000 people are affected by foodborne illness outbreaks each year. For Santé publique France, the key priorities are the surveillance and prevention of foodborne illness...

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Data

The surveillance system for outbreaks of foodborne illness, based on mandatory reporting, makes it possible to track trends in this type of infection.

Data on collective foodborne illnesses reported in France in 2023

In 2023, 2,231 outbreaks of foodborne illness were reported in France,...

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Publications

Here you will find the latest scientific publications related to the studies and research conducted by Santé publique France.

2 publications