Improving our knowledge of food sicknesses
Under our human health surveillance programme, we:
- gather information on foodborne illness and attribution
- publish scientific reports to improve knowledge of foodborne illness to help reduce cases
- aim to improve the surveillance of foodborne illnesses and attribute its incidence to specific foods.
To control the incidence of foodborne disease, we need to:
- identify common sources of foodborne diseases, and how they're spread between people
- understand how often specific hazards in particular foods cause people to fall ill
- find out when illness is also caused by other sources, like environmental exposure, direct animal contact, or human-to-human exchange.
The programme is a part of our food safety risk management framework. It helps us to:
- systematically collect, collate, and analyse data about the incidence and causes of foodborne diseases
- provide information in a timely way to people who need to know so that action can be taken
- develop and monitor strategies to reduce food-related risks.
Why we research the causes of foodborne illness
Finding the source of foodborne illness helps us to:
- take action and control the problem
- reduce illness
- control any outbreaks.
We publish detailed reports into cases and whether the source can be identified.
Human health surveillance programme reports
Human health research and surveillance reports
Foodborne disease annual reports
Campylobacter risk management strategy 2017–2020 [PDF, 272 KB]
Who to contact
If you have questions about human health surveillance, email info@mpi.govt.nz
