FDA Releases the CORE 2024 Annual Report

WASHINGTON, D.C. — The U.S. Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA) Office of Coordinated Outbreak Response, Evaluation, & Emergency Preparedness (CORE+EP) released its annual report summarizing the investigations of foodborne illness outbreaks and certain adverse events in FDA-regulated human foods for the 2024 calendar year.

The FDA’s CORE+EP, originally established in 2011 as the CORE Network, expanded in October 2024 to include an emergency preparedness team focused on food defense, traceability and supply chain management. One of CORE+EP’s missions is 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 the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), state and local public health agencies, and international public health partners, the agency said. Every year, CORE teams evaluate and respond to numerous foodborne outbreaks and certain adverse events linked to FDA-regulated products.  

In 2024, CORE teams evaluated 72 incidents, responded to 26 and issued advisories for 10, FDA reported. These numbers remain similar to those from recent years, with 69 incidents evaluated, 25 responses and 10 advisories issued in 2023. In 2024, CORE investigations resulted in numerous public health actions, including recalls, public health advisories, a Warning Letter, a consent decree of permanent injunction and FDA prevention strategies, according to the agency. 

The 2024 annual report highlights a few noteworthy outbreaks: a large outbreak of E. coli linked to carrots, a historical outbreak of illnesses associated with cheese and a novel series of adverse events linked to certain chocolate bars, cones and gummies.

Up-to-date information on outbreak-related activities and investigations can be found on the CORE Outbreak Investigation Table, FDA’s Public Health Advisories and publications.