Regrettably, summertime can include a foodborne illness outbreak (and a well-publicized recall) involving meat or poultry. Until that changes, folks producing meat or poultry should have a basic understanding of what a foodborne outbreak is, how the public-health officials conduct their investigations, and when a recall will be requested.
Notwithstanding the popular conception of an outbreak, a foodborne outbreak does not necessarily mean a general increase in illnesses. According to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), a foodborne outbreak occurs when there has been more than one illness due to a common food source (an E. coli O157:H7 outbreak only requires one patient). So, do not expect CDC to focus on the number of illnesses generally or illness trends in determining whether certain illnesses represent an outbreak.