Food Safety Training Program

Attachment 5. NEARS Food Safety Training

National Environmental Assessment Reporting System
(NEARS): Informing foodborne outbreak investigation
and prevention
Form Approved
OMB No. 0920-0980
Exp. Date 08/31/2022
CDC estimates the average public reporting burden for this collection of information as 120 minutes per response, including the time for reviewing
instructions, searching existing data/information sources, gathering and maintaining the data/information needed, and completing and reviewing
the collection of information. An agency may not conduct or sponsor, and a person is not required to respond to a collection of information unless
it displays a currently valid OMB control number. Send comments regarding this burden estimate or any other aspect of this collection of
information, including suggestions for reducing this burden, to: CDC/ATSDR Information Collection Review Office, 1600 Clifton Road NE, MS D-74,
Atlanta, Georgia 30333; ATTN: PRA (0920-0980)

National Center for Environmental Health

DEHSP’s objectives
Support environmental
assessments
Improve identification of
environmental factors to
foodborne illness
outbreaks

through

Collect and analyze
environmental
assessment data
2

Environmental factors include contributing factors and
environmental antecedents
Contributing FactorsThe ”How”
Environmental Factors

include

Environmental
AntecedentsThe “Why”

3

Environmental factors include contributing factors

Contamination

Proliferation

Survival
l
4

Environmental factors include environmental antecedents

People

Processes

Equipment

Economics

Food

5

Environmental factor pathway

Environmental
Antecedents

Contributing
Factor

Outbreak

6

Environmental factor pathway
Outbreak
• E. coli outbreak
caused by
salads eaten at
Restaurant A

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Environmental factor pathway
Contributing
Factor
• Cross
contamination
- Worker used
same utensils
on raw ground
beef and
salads

Outbreak
• E. coli outbreak
caused by
salads eaten at
Restaurant A

8

Environmental factor pathway
Environmental
Antecedents
• Worker in a
hurry
• Worker had not
been trained on
avoiding cross
contamination

Contributing
Factor
• Cross
contamination
- Worker used
same utensils
on raw ground
beef and
salads

Outbreak
• E. coli outbreak
caused by
salads eaten at
Restaurant A

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Outbreak environmental assessment activities

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We need to improve reporting of environmental
assessment data


Environmental assessment data are key to:
•
•
•

Understand how and why outbreaks occur
Develop appropriate guidelines, policies and practices
Prevent future outbreaks



Engage food safety officials responsible for conducting
environmental assessments



Limited environmental assessment data reported at a
national level

7

Support of environmental assessments:
Environmental Assessment Training Series (EATS)


Designed to improve program
competency in conducting environmental
assessments



Free, web-based, interactive, self-paced



CEUs are available



Participants show a 25-percentage point
increase in test scores
12

Collection and analysis of environmental assessment data:
National Environmental Assessment Reporting System (NEARS)


Companion surveillance system to the National
Outbreak Reporting System (NORS)



Repository for state and local program data
collected from environmental assessments



45 state and local agencies are currently
registered to report data into NEARS

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Collection and analysis of environmental assessment data:
National Environmental Assessment Reporting System (NEARS)
Programs report data on:
 Outbreak characteristics
• Contributing factor identification
• Investigation characteristics
•
Timeliness of environmental assessment, environmental sampling
 Outbreak establishment characteristics
• Characteristics
Ownership, meals served daily
• Food safety policies and practices
Ill worker exclusion, cleaning, cold holding temperatures
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Short-term benefits of NEARS participation
Annual report from
CDC summarizing
your NEARS data
*Complements
FDA Standard 5
Requirements

Collaboration/
communication with
other states/localities
participating in
NEARS

Potential scientific
publication
opportunities

Ability to document
and track foodborne
outbreak response
data
15

15

88%
Average # of
Visits to
Complete an
Environmental
Assessment

outbreaks
reported
to NORS

Contributing
Factors

2 Visits
C10
C11
C12

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Long-term benefits of NEARS participation
Data to
improve
foodborne
outbreak
response

What investigation characteristics lead to identification
of contributing factors?
Outbreak contributing factors were more often identified
when
- an outbreak pathogen had been identified,
- environmental assessments were comprehensive and
timely.
17

17

Long-term benefits of NEARS participation
Data to
improve
retail food
safety

What establishment policies and practices are linked
with smaller outbreaks?
Analysis of 124 norovirus outbreaks showed that outbreaks
were smaller when
- managers received food safety certification
- managers and workers received food safety training
- food workers wore gloves
- restaurants had cleaning policies
18

18

Norovirus outbreaks are smaller in restaurants that
provide training
25
ill people

22
ill people

20
ill people
11
ill people

No training

On-the-job
training

Classroom
training

Both on-the-job
and classroom
training
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Summary
Collection and analysis of environmental
assessment data
Improved identification of outbreak
environmental factors
Improved prevention and intervention

Improved food safety; fewer outbreaks
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Accessing NEARS During the Pilot Program

National Center for Environmental Health

Exploring NEARS

Take online training
CDC’s free online environmental assessment training series (EATS)

 Fill out Notice of Participation form
 Join NEARS Online Community
 NEARS Instrument Introduction

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Exploring NEARS
After pilot period
 Full access to NEARS
 Questions to NEARS@cdc.gov

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