WASHINGTON — The Food and Drug Administration has announced the creation of the Coordinated Outbreak Response and Evaluation Network, an approach to respond to human and animal foodborne illness outbreaks.

The CORE Network has dedicated epidemiologists, veterinarians, microbiologists, environmental health specialists, emergency coordinators and risk communication specialists, and will work closely with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the U.S. Department of Agriculture and state public health and agriculture agencies in human and animal foodborne illness outbreaks.

“The CORE Network builds on the best practices F.D.A. has already implemented in its outbreak response efforts,” said Mike Taylor, deputy commissioner of foods. “And, in keeping with the reforms of the F.D.A. Food Safety Modernization Act, CORE activities will learn from outbreaks to develop preventive systems in an effort to reduce them from happening in the future.

“CORE will also allow for more consistency in monitoring and investigating outbreaks as well as streamline decision-making and improve food safety practices.”

Kathleen Gensheimer, who was most recently state epidemiologist for Maine, is now chief medical officer and outbreak director. She will head the CORE Network with responsibility for F.D.A. preparedness, outbreak response and post-response activities.