Iwaspoisoned Data and Insights Featured at the Annual International Association for Food Protection Meeting in California 2024

We are thrilled to share that insights and data from our platform were showcased during a presentation at the International Association for Food Protection's (IAFP) Annual Meeting. The event was held in Long Beach, California and we showcased our research on Wednesady July 17th at 10 AM. 

Our research, a collaborative effort with esteemed faculty at North Carolina State University, investigates the link between self-reported norovirus-like symptoms from our global crowdsourcing platform, Iwaspoisoned.com, and epidemiological data from the Norovirus Sentinel Testing and Tracking network. Our findings highlight the effectiveness of using crowdsourced data as an adjunct tool for enhancing public health surveillance and forecasting norovirus outbreaks. This research is a significant advancement in our comprehension of the mechanisms behind the spread of norovirus, a major cause of foodborne diseases globally. The International Association for Food Protection (IAFP) is a worldwide body committed to promoting food safety. Its annual conference attracts over 4,000 professionals from the food safety, research, and education sectors to share insights, knowledge, and ideas that foster global food safety advancements and keep attendees abreast of the latest industry developments. Each year, the IAFP selects a handful of rigorously evaluated papers for presentation. For more details about the IAFP 's annual event, click here.

We are honored that co-author Dr. Lee-Ann Jaykus, Professor Emerita at North Carolina State University, presented our findings. Dr. Jaykus is a respected expert in food microbiology and microbial food safety, holding a Ph.D. in Environmental Sciences and Engineering from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. She has spearheaded significant projects like the USDA-NIFA Food Virology Collaborative, NoroCORE. Her extensive contributions to food safety and education, marked by leadership roles and numerous accolades, have been instrumental to this study.

We had a great time presenting our findings and look forward to continuing our contributions to the global conversation on food safety, advancing our collective efforts to combat foodborne illnesses!

To learn more about our upcoming and previous presentations, please visit our events page here.