The European Commission has answered various questions about new rules about the use of the entire genome sequence (WGS) in research into foodborne outbreak.
In one Frequently asked questions documentThe EU committee has explained how Member States should implement the new regulation.
Performing WGs on Salmonella, Listeria Monocytogenes, E. Coli, Campylobacter Jejuni and Campylobacter Coli associated or probably that they will be associated with an extension of food that is mandatory and the results must be submitted to the WGS system of the European Food Safety system.
This system is connected to a similar database of human isolates, managed by the European Center for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC). Human and food isolates can be compared, so that the cause of an outbreak and related batches, plots or shipments of potentially unsafe food is quickly identified and cooperation between public health and food safety authorities is improved.
WGS must be done on at least one bacterial isolate of pathogens obtained from animals, feed, food or production environments with a suspected link to an outbreak.
Rules apply from 23 August 2026 to allow Member States and EFSA time to adapt to the new requirements.
Epidemiological work is still crucial
The authority of each Member State where isolate is detected is responsible for carrying out WGS.
The EU committee said that the Regulation does not do food companies WGS. However, it requires the results of WGS analysis that are made available if it was carried out by the company on its own initiative.
“It is in the interest of the food industry to fully work together in by Food Borne Outbreak Investigations to limit the possible impact of such an outbreak, also for their own company by contributing to finding the specific source and affected shipments. The use of WGS facilitates the Euzends of any vocational data.”
The EU committee said that only a genetic match of WGS profiles between a person and a food isolate does not confirm the food as the outbreak source. Epidemiological examination, such as patient interviews, exposure history and traceback analysis, are required to establish a link. WGS data from human and food insulates must be combined with epidemiological findings to confirm the source.
When an outbreak is detected, it may not be easy to sampling and confirming that the pathogen with the same WGS profile was present in a suspected food source. The shipment may no longer be available because of the time between production/placement on the market of food and detection of the outbreak. In such cases, a food source can be considered confirmed if the results of epidemiological examination are sufficiently robust.
The Regulation does not include the submission of WGS results of other monitoring activities. However, the EU committee strongly encouraged the Member States to share such results to fill the database.
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