Discussion Thread: Creative Application of Laboratory Science

The laboratory plays an important role in the investigation and identification of the cause of food-borne illness outbreaks. The lab can be a much more important, and less celebrated, tool to prevent an outbreak of disease.

• Which steps of the food processing and distribution systems are of the most value in evaluating the risks?
• How can this information be incorporated into safety inspections to improve the integrity of the system?
• How can the use of laboratory data as a preventive measure help enhance the investigation of disease outbreaks?