Acute Communicable Disease Control

Foodborne Disease Surveillance

The Foodborne Disease Surveillance team works to identify and decrease the risk to the public from foodborne illness. We do this by monitoring occurrences of bacterial pathogens and by responding to public complaints of possible foodborne outbreaks of disease. Protecting county residents from foodborne illness is best accomplished through cooperation between the Foodborne Disease Surveillance team, the Public Health Laboratory and Environmental Health Bureau of Consumer Protection's Food & Milk Program. Together, we are working to improve basic surveillance of foodborne diseases and to coordinate our response to outbreaks.

News and Updates

• News Release: Consumers Advised Not to Eat Recreationally Harvested Mussels from California Coast (5-9-25)
• News Release: Public Health Warns Against Consuming Raw Milk Following Additional Detections of H5 Bird Flu Virus (12-19-24)
• News Release: Public Health Alerts Residents of Expanded Recall of Raw Milk and Cream Products Following Multiple Detections of H5 Bird Flu (12-4-24)
• DPH News Release: Public Health Investigating Cases of E. coli Linked to Organic Carrots (11-18-24)
• CDPH Health Advisory Severe: Acute Illnesses and Hospitalizations Linked to Diamond Shruumz ™ Chocolate Bars, Cones, and Gummies (Microdose Products) (6-25-24)
• News Release: Public Health Warns Consumers About Eating Raw Oysters from Certain Areas of Mexico (1-17-24)
• DPH News Release: Raw Oysters Linked to 27 Cases of Gastrointestinal Illness (1-12-24)
• Product Alert: Do not to eat Shemshad's Mulberry Molasses and Mulberry Jam jarred food products dated “APR 25 2025 ” because of possible contamination with botulism (1-12-24) English  Arabic  Farsi  Spanish
• CDC Health Advisory: Third Case of Rifampin/Penicillin-Resistant Strain of RB51 Brucella from Consuming Raw Milk (1-23-19)

Foodborne Illness ─ LA County 

• Salmonella Frequently Asked Questions:  English  Spanish  (5-22-15) 
• Listeriosis: General Information - CDC (3-2-12)
• Press Release: Thanksgiving and Safe Food Handling (11-23-10)
• LAC: Reported Cases of Selected Diseases (2009-2014) 
• LAC: Reported Cases of Selected Diseases (2003-2008) 
• LAC: Reported Cases of Selected Diseases (1997-2002) 
• Food Illness Report Page

Food Recalls

• CDC Health Advisory: High Blood Lead Levels in Children Consuming Recalled Cinnamon Applesauce Pouches (11-13-23)
• U.S. Food and Drug Administration: Recalls, Market Withdrawals, & Safety Alerts
• Foodsafety.gov

U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA)

• Food Safety and Inspection Service

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

• CDC Infographic: Cook Chicken Liver Like It's Chicken (It Is)
• Food Safety
• FoodCORE: Foodborne Diseases Centers for Outbreak Response Enhancement
• Salmonella Information

Fresh Produce Safety

• FDA: Produce Safety
  

Norovirus

• LAC DPH Information Page
• Norovirus in Healthcare Settings, CDC (includes norovirus prevention toolkit)
  

Foodborne Illness

• CDC's Foodborne Diseases Active Surveillance Network Site
  
• FDA Retail Food Risk Factor Studies

Food Safety

• Food Safety Video_Cantonese_Chinese
• Food Safety Video_Cantonese_English
• Food Safety Viedo Mandarin_English
• Food Safety Video_Mandarin_Chinese
• Federal Food Safety Information
• Keeping Your Food Safe
• FDA: Food Page
• Partnership for Food Safety Education: Fight BAC! / English brochure   / Spanish brochure 
• Home Food Safety
• Hand Washing