MURFREESBORO, Tenn. — Each year, an estimated 48 million Americans get sick from foodborne illnesses, underscoring why public health officials closely track not just individual cases but outbreaks—when two or more people become ill from the same contaminated food or drink. Outbreak tracking helps pinpoint weak links in production, processing, or handling so problems can be fixed before more people get sick.
A new analysis by Trace One of the CDC’s National Outbreak Reporting System (NORS) shows a significant post-pandemic decline in reported outbreaks nationwide. From 2021–2023, the U.S. recorded 1,659 outbreaks, down more than 40% from 2,802 in 2017–2019; outbreak-related illnesses fell by a similar margin (from 47,080 to 27,277). According to Trace One’s review of NORS data, Tennessee mirrored—and even outpaced—the national trend:
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Outbreaks per 1M residents: 1.0 (2021–2023) vs. 2.7 (2017–2019)
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Total outbreaks: 21 vs. 54
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Illnesses per 1M: 10.4 vs. 33.9
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Total illnesses: 220 vs. 688
Overall, Tennessee’s outbreak rate dropped 62.7%, and illness rate fell 69.3% in the latest period, per Trace One’s analysis of NORS.
Public-health experts say pandemic-era changes likely contributed to the drop—better hygiene, more surface disinfection, and stricter “don’t work while sick” policies in restaurants and institutional kitchens. CDC notes that NORS aggregates outbreak reports from state and local health departments to identify the germs, foods, and settings most often implicated, supporting targeted prevention.
Seasonal patterns still matter. Bacterial illnesses often rise in summer, while norovirus—the leading cause of foodborne outbreaks—tends to peak in colder months and frequently spreads in food-service settings when ill workers handle ready-to-eat foods.
The landscape is also shifting in real time. On Aug. 28, 2025, CDC announced a multistate Salmonella outbreak linked to eggs, advising consumers to discard recalled products and check brand and date codes. Meanwhile, CDC recently scaled back FoodNet, the long-running active surveillance network for foodborne pathogens, prompting concern among some experts about future detection and trend monitoring.
What’s driving outbreaks? Trace One’s synthesis of recent CDC data highlights common threads seen nationally:
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Where outbreaks start: Sit-down restaurants account for the largest share, followed by private homes and fast-food venues.
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Foods often implicated: Raw mollusks (notably oysters), poultry, and fish, with dairy and leafy greens appearing regularly in investigations.
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Caveat on counts: States with stronger surveillance can appear to have “more” outbreaks because they’re better at finding and reporting them—so higher numbers don’t always mean higher underlying risk.
Tennessee by the numbers (Trace One analysis of CDC NORS):
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Outbreaks per 1M (2021–2023): 1.0 | (2017–2019): 2.7
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Illnesses per 1M (2021–2023): 10.4 | (2017–2019): 33.9
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Total outbreaks: 21 vs. 54 | Total illnesses: 220 vs. 688
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Change in outbreak rate: –62.7% | Change in illness rate: –69.3%
United States overall (Trace One analysis of CDC NORS):
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Outbreaks per 1M (2021–2023): 1.7 | (2017–2019): 2.9
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Illnesses per 1M (2021–2023): 27.2 | (2017–2019): 48.0
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Total outbreaks: 1,659 vs. 2,802 | Total illnesses: 27,277 vs. 47,080
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Change in outbreak rate: –42.1% | Change in illness rate: –43.4%
Bottom line for consumers: Keep washing hands thoroughly, cook foods to safe temperatures, keep sick food workers out of kitchens, and pay attention to CDC/FDA outbreak notices and recalls.
Title Ideas
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Foodborne Outbreaks Fell 40% Since COVID; Tennessee’s Rate Down 63%
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New Analysis: Tennessee Sees Steep Drop in Foodborne Outbreaks as Hygiene Habits Stick
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Post-Pandemic Shift: Fewer Foodborne Outbreaks, Ongoing Risks From Restaurants and High-Risk Foods
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