Committee on Control of Foodborne Illness
Mission Statement: Reviews information on epidemiology and control of communicable diseases of primary concern to food safety and related areas, and prepares manuals and articles addressing investigation and control of food safety-related problems.
Next Meeting
Virtual: TBD
In Person: IAFP 2025
July 27, 2025, Huntington Convention Center, Cleveland, Ohio
How to Join
Involvement in committees and professional development groups (PDGs) offers Members the opportunity to share a wealth of knowledge and expertise. Members of committees and PDGs are the architects of the Association structure. They plan, develop and institute many of the Association's projects, including workshops, publications and educational sessions. Technical challenges facing the food safety industry are discussed, examined and debated. Members may volunteer to serve on any number of committees or PDGs that plan and implement activities to meet the Association's mission.
Special Committees provide support services to IAFP on a continuous basis. Individuals are recommended by the Chairperson, subject to the Executive Board's review. Membership appointments are for 2-year renewable terms. Requests for membership should be directed to the Chairperson.
Minutes
Board Responses
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1. Based on requests from members, CCFI recommends making a digital edition of the current edition of the Procedures to Investigate Foodborne Outbreaks open-access and available via the IAFP website. Since this edition was published in 2011, the state of online guidance in this area has changed, with both CIFOR and WHO publishing freely available materials that somewhat overlap with this book. We request feedback from the Board and Staff on available options, including what is possible under the current contract with Springer.
Board Response: Board Response: Staff will work with Springer to see what options are available.
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2. CCFI requests data on sales and downloads of physical and electronic copies of the Procedures to Investigate Foodborne Outbreaks dating to the initial publication in 2011 through the current year, so we can better understand usage of these books over its lifetime. This is necessary as we evaluate revising this book.
Board Response: Board Response: Staff with request this data from Springer.
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3. CCFI requests permission to develop and deploy a survey about the use of and potential revisions to the Procedures to Investigate Foodborne Outbreaks book. CCFI is considering such a survey to better understand who is currently using the book and how, so we can make more informed decisions as we consider revisions.
Board Response: Board Response: The Board supports this. The Committee should work with IAFP Staff to develop and send a survey to the IAFP Membership.
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CCFI recommends Laura Gieraltowski be named Vice Chair.
Board Response: Approved.
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CCFI respectfully recommends improving the webinar submission tracking through the online website. Submitters should receive a confirmation, possibly automated, that the submission was received so it can be referenced in future follow up discussion.
Board Response: The Board approves this recommendation and the IAFP staff will work on the acknowledgment process.
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CCFI recommends revising the mission statement of the committee in the by-laws to better reflect the goals and current activities of the committee. The committee will provide suggested revised text prior to the Board’s fall meeting.
Board Response: The Board looks forward to reviewing this mission statement.
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CCFI recommends revising the criteria for the Ewen C.D. Todd Award to better reflect its original intent to primarily recognize major accomplishments in the field of foodborne disease epidemiology, outbreak investigation, and related public health work. The committee will provide the Board with suggested revised text prior to the Board’s fall meeting.
Board Response: The Board will pass this suggestion on to the Awards Committee.
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1. Recommend Ewen Todd continue for one more year as Chair of CCFI. Vice Chair Michael Batz will be Chair next year.
Board Response: Agreed
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2. Recommend to the Board that the Conference for Food Protection has access to its Procedures manuals, including any proposed updates to the manuals. It is also recommended that IAFP off-sets some of the costs for these manuals to the Program Standards Committee to help keep state and local regulators active in this field. IAFP should explore ways to get more manuals to government entities at state and local regulators and public health partners.
Board Response: Please provide additional details on how this can be achieved.
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3. Based on awareness of awardees over the last six years, CCFI raised concerns about how the Ewen C.D.Todd Control of Foodborne Illness Award nominees are selected, and whether the published criteria were followed. The purpose behind the award was to recognize those with a lifetime history of epidemiology in the investigation and control of foodborne illness and active in IAFP Committees including the CCFI.
Board Response: Please review the award criteria and inform the Board of any necessary revisions to be considered. The Board recommends the CCFI Members submit nominations of individuals meeting the prescribed criteria.
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1. CCFI recognizes that a virtual option for the conference as a whole creates a tremendous burden but offering virtual participation in committee meetings during the in-person conference could increase participation and be more inclusive to members that are unable to travel. Thus, CCFI recommends to the Executive Board that a virtual option be provided for all future
committee meetings, especially in view of disabilities restricting attendance in person.
Board Response: Agree. Virtual meetings may be held any- time throughout the year and all committees are encouraged to hold periodic meetings (virtually). We plan to return to in-person committee meetings in 2022. Zoom or other options can be used as desired if you wish to include remote participants in your meeting. A projector, screen and WiFi will be provided in the meeting rooms.
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2. CCFI continues to request that IAFP publications should be
available freely on request to be competitive with other food
safety and foodborne disease sources.
Board Response: There are contractual agreements in place that will affect our ability to provide the Foodborne or Waterborne Procedures manuals. The positive factor is that our current distribution method makes the manuals available for download to a worldwide audience.
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Recommend that Emilio Esteban find out about the possibility for electronic versions of future manuals to be free downloads for members or even for wider distribution because of existing competition with other online manuals.
Board Response: There are contractual agreements in place that will affect our ability to provide the Foodborne or Water-borne Procedures manuals. The positive factor is that our current distribution method makes the manuals available for download to a world-wide audience.
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Recommend the Board approve Michael Batz as the new Vice Chair.
Board Response: Agree.
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Manuals. Recommend the Board provide the following information to the Committee on the Procedures for Investigation on Foodborne Illness manual and Procedures for Investigation on Waterborne Illness manual:
a. How much income have the manuals generated for IAFP over the past 5 years?
b. How many hard copy manuals vs. online
manuals have been sold?
c. Do we have details on who the buyers are? Local, state, federal, industry, international partners?
d. Were promotion activities at international events completed as requested in the
2018 recommendations?
e. Does the Board support potential IT improvements to online available resources (apps, fillable forms, etc.)?
f. Is there a pathway to offering manuals for free?
g. Once feedback from the Board is received specific to the Procedures for Investigation
on Foodborne Illness manual, CCFI will create a subcommittee to begin researching and addressing necessary updates to the current manual.
Board Response: IAFP Staff will provide answers to the above questions.
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Recommend the following changes to the
Committee Bylaws:
a. Addition of a mission statement to promote professional development in foodborne illness outbreak detection, response, and prevention.
b. Propose the establishment of the role of a Secretary with a 2-year term to support both the Chair and the Vice Chair; an incumbent does not necessarily progress to the role of Vice Chair.
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c. Propose the establishment of progressive leadership for the Committee, with 2-year terms for both the Chair and Vice Chair. At completion of the 2-year term, the Chair will serve in a Past Chair capacity and the Vice Chair will become the new Chair. The Committee will then need to appoint a new Vice Chair.
d. Once the position of the current Vice Chair is completed (Judy Greig), the Committee will select a new Vice Chair to initiate this rotational process. Once that selection is made, a recommendation will be made to the Board for official appointment. Ewen Todd will continue to serve as Chair until the newly appointed Vice Chair completes a 2-year rotation.
Board Response: Review the current mission statement for the Committee and make recommendations to the Board for specific changes. Regarding the change in leadership, the Board recommends electing a Vice-Chair now to begin their 2-year term and establishing the Secretary position
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Survey of IAFP Members (by Ben Chapman,
Ian Young, Ewen Todd, and Judy Greig).
a. Survey. Board approval and support for a CCFI draft interview questionnaire of approximately 20 selected IAFP Members, with a suggestion to contact PDG/Committee Chairs/Vice Chairs, for IRB (Institutional Review Board) approval.
b. Focus groups. As a follow up to the completed
survey, Board approval of several focus groups to expand upon the survey results
at the next IAFP meeting in Cleveland.
c. Funding. Board approval for funding for
transcription of audio tapes for the survey
and focus groups.
Board Response: Agree. This project was previously approved (2017). Provide cost estimates and intended outcomes. Provide an outline of what is proposed with the cost estimate. Submit survey questions for review prior to distribution.
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Recommend the Board investigate means to fund specific
Committee on Control of Foodborne Illness activities such
as the survey.
Board Response: Agree. Funding is available; the Committee can make specific recommendations for funding needs.
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Recommend the manuals be better advertised and promoted
at international meetings as well as at the Annual Meeting.
Board Response: Agree. Staff will continue to work with Springer to promote the Foodborne and Waterborne books.
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Comments from some state users indicate that the manuals
would be more useful if they were interactive. For instance,
they say that even the online versions are in pdf format and
they have to be downloaded rather than fillable. This may
be a Springer way of controlling downloadable purchases
but not useful for those doing investigations. The Board can
consider working with IT-savvy members who can review
what can be done to make the manuals more interactive.
Board Response: Agree. It seems you are requesting the forms be fillable. Staff will investigate this request.
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Because Committee on Control of Foodborne Illness meets
all day at the Annual Meeting and it is difficult for PDG members to meet and discuss issues relating to foodborne
illness at this particular meeting, one suggestion would
be for PDG Chairs/Vice Chairs who have an interest in
outbreak investigation, prevention, and control of foodborne
illness related to their membership, exchange ideas for
symposia, manuals, publications, etc., on a periodic basis
throughout the year with the Chair/Vice Chair of the Committee on Control of Foodborne Illness.
Board Response: Agree.
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Recommend a student from the Student PDG be assigned
to work with the Committee on Control of Foodborne Illness
during the year including at the Annual Meeting. Students
rarely attend the Committee on Control of Foodborne
Illness meetings.
Board Response: Agree. Chair and Vice Chair should reach out to request student involvement in this Committee.
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Since attendance by Canadians at IAFP Annual Meetings is
limited because it is considered foreign travel and membership has not grown, the Board should consider a regional Canadian food safety meeting, as is done for the rest of the world, such as in Winnipeg or Ottawa.
Board Response: The Board will take this under consideration.
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CCFI recommends that an on-line survey of IAFP Members be conducted for risk taking in food safety including purchased food items, household kitchen hygiene, cooking and food storage. Behavioral scientists Ben Chapman and Christine Bruhn have agreed to assist in preparing this survey. The results will be presented at the 2018 Annual Meeting, and after input from members published in FPT. Support likely from Retail and Foodservice PDG and Food Safety Culture PDG.
Board Response: The Board encourages the Committee to undertake this survey.
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We seek the Board’s input to have a late outbreak symposium at each Annual Meeting with flexibility with at least one speaker slot to be filled within weeks before the Meeting.
Board Response: Agree. The Program Committee currently holds some session rooms open for possible, late-breaking topics.
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We recommend that Marilyn Lee receive an award for her leading role in the publication of the 3rd edition of the Waterborne manual.
Board Response: Agree. Marilyn Lee and Ewen Todd were recognized for their efforts with re-writing the Procedures to Investigate Waterborne Illness by the President’s Recognition Award.
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We recommend a conference call in August with several members to discuss a symposium on root cause analysis.
Board Response:
Board Response: Agree. Committees and PDGs are welcome to contact the IAFP office anytime to schedule a teleconference.
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Recommendation: Because sales of the 6th edition of the Procedures to Investigate Foodborne Illness are low compared with previous editions (3000), and the electronic version has very few sales, the Board should dialog with Springer to lower the price of the electronic version since there are no associated publishing costs. In the past public health agencies would purchase large quantities for distribution to its employees. Higher costs of the manuals ($24 for public health agencies and members and $30 for nonmembers and industry) combined with lower operating budgets of agencies make this very difficult today. The main purpose of the manuals is to have wide global distribution to reduce foodborne and waterborne illness rather than make any profit (fits the vision of the Foundation). In addition, the Board in collaboration with Springer and CCFI should generate a more aggressive marketing campaign to alert potential clients of the manual and its value. It is critical to have a revised policy in place soon in order to attract potential buyers to the waterborne manual due to be published in 2015.
Board Response: The current price structure for the “Procedures to Investigate Foodborne Illness” is economical for a book of this importance. IAFP will encourage the same, economical prices structure for the “Procedures to Investigate Waterborne Illness” when it becomes available.
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Recommendation: The Board should have the Procedures to Investigate Arthropod-borne and Rodent-borne Illness manual and the HACCP manual put into electronic format for editing purposes.
Board Response: Staff will provide an electronic version of the Procedures to Investigate Arthropod-borne and Rodent-borne Illness manual. Additional discussion needs to take place before making an electronic version of the HACCP manual as that book is not approved for revision currently.
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Recommendation: The Board should consider the value of interactive eBooks/iBook format and work with appropriate PDGs to explore this option.
Board Response: PDGs are encouraged to work in this arena.
