active surveillance
Description:
Measures initiated to detect and control animal diseases as early as possible using defined protocols and activities
Context:
Active surveillance in food safety is when authorities proactively look for hazards, pathogens, or contaminants in food, animals, or the environment, rather than waiting for problems to appear. It involves planned testing, monitoring, and data collection to detect risks early.
EFSA uses data collected through active surveillance to estimate the prevalence of foodborne pathogens, monitor antimicrobial resistance, and track emerging hazards across the EU. This helps EFSA provide accurate scientific advice, guide risk assessments, and support measures to prevent outbreaks and protect public health.
Related topics
Animal health Antimicrobial resistance Avian influenza Biological hazards Campylobacter Foodborne zoonotic diseases Listeria Monitoring of foodborne diseases Non-foodborne zoonotic diseases One Health Salmonella Shiga toxin-producing E. coli outbreak(s) West Nile Virus Whole genome sequencing in foodborne outbreaks