The Foodborne Outbreak Investigation Online Series (FOIS) is a free online self-paced training that promotes a multi-disciplinary approach to the investigation of foodborne disease outbreaks. The goal of FOIS is to train public health professionals and other involved personnel to rapidly identify, investigate, and control foodborne disease outbreaks.
The curriculum is available in English and Spanish and includes 7 online courses that may be taken either as introductory training or as refresher training for more experienced staff. The standalone online courses take 3-4 hours each and can be completed as a team or independently. Each course offers a certificate of complete and continuing education credits through the University of Tennessee Knoxville.
The FOIS was developed by the Integrated Food Safety Centers of Excellence, which are funded by the CDC.
To register for a course, please visit: https://foodsafetycoe.org/product/2385/
Courses include the following:
Foodborne Outbreak Investigation and Response Team Roles and Responsibilities
- Course 1 (Part A): An overview of the food safety system and how partnerships enhance the investigation (0.4 CEUs)
- Course 2 (Part B): Integrating surveillance systems into all areas of an investigation (0.4 CEUs)
Initial Foodborne Illness Investigation
- Course 3: An overview of knowledge and skills necessary to initiate an investigation (0.4 CEUs)
Environmental Health Investigations
- Course 4: Activities and responsibilities of Environmental Health during an investigation (0.5 CEUs)
Epidemiologic Investigations Related to Foodborne Outbreaks
- Course 5: Activities and responsibilities of Epidemiology during an investigation (0.4 CEUs)
Laboratory Investigations Related to Foodborne Outbreaks (coming December 2018)
- Course 6: Activities and responsibilities of the Laboratory during an investigation
Concluding the Investigation (coming 2019)
- Course 7: An overview of knowledge and skills necessary to conclude an investigation
This series includes complimentary tabletop team activities which are available for download.
- Activity 1: Communication Procedures
- Activity 2: Interviewer Training
- Activity 3: Coming in 2019
