Cyclospora and the Search for Answers: How Outbreak Investigations Work

Friday, July 24, 2026 | 2 pm EST / 11 am PST

Join FSMA 204 co-writer Andy Kennedy and data science expert Claire Zoellner for a discussion on how foodborne outbreaks are investigated.

Recent headlines have once again brought food traceability and outbreak investigations into focus. But how do investigators actually determine the source of a foodborne illness outbreak?

Join Andy Kennedy, Chief Traceability Officer at iFoodDS and co-writer of FSMA 204, and Claire Zoellner, Ph.D., Director of Data Science at iFoodDS, for an in-depth discussion of the three legs of an outbreak investigation that public health officials rely on to solve foodborne outbreaks:

  1. Epidemiology – identifying common food exposures among individuals who become ill
  2. Laboratory Testing – using advanced testing and Whole Genome Sequencing to connect illnesses to specific pathogens
  3. Traceback – following products through the supply chain to identify their source

Using the 2020 multistate Cyclospora outbreak linked to bagged salads as a real-world example, Andy and Claire will explore how these three pillars work together to build evidence, narrow investigations, and ultimately identify potential sources of contamination.

The session will also examine why Cyclospora remains one of the most challenging foodborne pathogens to investigate, including the difficulties associated with detection, testing, and source identification.

Who Should Join

Whether you’re a grower, packer, processor, distributor, retailer, or foodservice operator, this webinar will provide valuable insight into how outbreak investigations unfold and why accurate traceability records play an important role in supporting public health response efforts.

What You’ll Learn

  1. The role of epidemiology, laboratory testing, and traceback in outbreak investigations
  2. How investigators build evidence across multiple data sources
  3. Lessons learned from past cyclospora outbreaks
  4. Why cyclospora is particularly difficult to investigate
  5. How better traceability supports faster outbreak investigations

Presenters:

  1. Andy Kennedy, Chief Traceability Officer, iFoodDS
  2. Claire Zoellner, Ph.D., Director of Data Science, iFoodDS