# Development and Maintenance of Human and Animal Food Rapid Response Teams for the State of Indiana

> **NIH FDA U2F** · INDIANA STATE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH · 2024 · $195,536

## Abstract

Project Summary/Abstract:
Over the next three years, the Indiana Rapid Response Team (IN RRT) aims to enhance all aspects of
response related to human and animal food emergencies. The overall RRT concept includes steps prior
incidents, such as relationship building with stakeholders, training, preparedness, and surveillance
sampling. During food incidents environmental assessments are conducted, as well as product and/or
environmental sampling. Follow-up actions, include mitigation/control steps, prevention, after-action
reviews, and improvement plans. By offering more specific and advanced response-related trainings and
exercises, the IN RRT will continue to foster preparedness across a network of agencies that stand ready
to respond to human and animal food emergencies and incidents. Specifically, such exercises will help
advance a more robust, scalable, and flexible Incident Command Structure (ICS) that can be used during
small-scale and large-scale events. Staff will be trained in position-specific roles to solidify the ICS along
with working roles and responsibilities. In addition, the Foodborne Illness Working Group will be utilized
to enhance interagency communication and increase capacity. Core capabilities that are currently in
place will be improved, added upon, and strengthened as will relationships within and between
agencies.
The IN RRT foodborne illness response process of environmental assessments, sampling, information
sharing, and mitigation actions will aid in reducing and eliminating repeated outbreaks. In post-
response and prevention phases, the IN RRT will address gaps in procedures identified during after-
action reviews related to outbreak and incident responses. The information gathered from the after-
action reviews will guide the development and implementation of an on-going Improvement Plan as
well as any necessary updates to SOPs to allow for greater preparedness for future food emergencies.
The IN RRT is an integral part of the nation's integrated Food Safety System by contributing data to CDCs
NEARS and NORS platforms as well as presenting ideas and findings at national and regional
conferences. As the ability and preparedness of IN RRT is increased, a more rapid and efficient response
to human and animal food emergencies will result, the significance of which will be the reduction of the
scope and duration of outbreaks, thus reducing the burden placed upon Indiana’s public health system.
Throughout the upcoming project period, the IN RRT will continue regular meetings with laboratory and
epidemiological partners as well as nurture relationships with other state agencies, local/county
partners, academia, industry, law enforcement, other states, and the FDA. This increased collaboration
will aid information and skill sharing with the objective of enhanced readiness.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10916509
- **Project number:** 5U2FFD008051-02
- **Recipient organization:** INDIANA STATE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH
- **Principal Investigator:** Jordan Young
- **Activity code:** U2F (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** FDA
- **Fiscal year:** 2024
- **Award amount:** $195,536
- **Award type:** 5
- **Project period:** 2023-09-01 → 2026-06-30

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10916509

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10916509, Development and Maintenance of Human and Animal Food Rapid Response Teams for the State of Indiana (5U2FFD008051-02). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-24 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10916509. Licensed CC0.

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