This past month, our data and insights from our platforms, DineSafe & Iwaspoisoned, were featured at the International Association for Food Protection's (IAFP) Annual Meeting. Held in Long Beach, California from July 14th - 17th, 2024, we were able to present our research on the topic of potentially leveraging crowdsourced data as a complementary tool for helping public health surveillance.
Our research was conducted in collaboration between the DineSafe team and renowned professors at North Carolina State University. The study explores the correlation between self-reported symptoms of norovirus-like illness from DineSafe’s global crowdsourcing platform Iwaspoisoned.com and epidemiological data from the Norovirus Sentinel Testing and Tracking network. Our data and findings highlights that there is indeed potential of leveraging crowdsourced data as a complementary tool for aiding public health surveillance and predicting norovirus outbreaks. Our research represents a step forward in understanding the dynamics of norovirus outbreaks, a leading cause of foodborne illness worldwide.
The International Association for Food Protection (IAFP) is a global organization dedicated to enhancing food safety. Its annual conference brings together more than 4,000 experts in food safety, research, and education to exchange insights, knowledge, and ideas to advance food safety worldwide and to stay updated on the latest developments in the industry. Every year, the IAFP receives many paper submissions. However, only a select few undergo a thorough evaluation process and are chosen for presentation. Read more about the details of IAFP 2024 here.
We were thrilled to have our co-author, Dr. Lee-Ann Jaykus, a distinguished Professor Emerita at North Carolina State University, present our data and findings. Dr. Jaykus specializes in food microbiology with a focus on microbial food safety. She holds a Ph.D. in Environmental Sciences and Engineering from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Her research primarily explores food virology and the transmission of enteric viruses through the food chain. She has directed the USDA-NIFA Food Virology Collaborative, known as NoroCORE, a significant project in the field. Dr. Jaykus's contributions to food safety and education have been recognized widely, exemplified by her leadership roles and numerous awards within the field. Dr. Jaykus’s expertise and dedication have been significant to this study. We had a wonderful time sharing our findings at IAFP 2024, we look forward to the future as we continue contributing to the global conversation on food safety and advancing our collective efforts to combat foodborne illnesses!
If you’d like to learn more about our future and past presentations, please visit our events page here.
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