The profiles outlined below describe types of cases that are commonly seen as a part of an outbreak investigation. The purpose of the case profiles is to identify common behaviours and exposures associated with a case and to assist the interviewer with questions and hypothesis generation.
For example, if the outbreak consists of majority “Healthy Eaters”, the suspect source may be a food item associated with the case profile such as fresh produce, niche snack item, or supplement. Note: a case could fit into more than one case profile, consider any fitting profiles when interviewing. Additionally, a case may not fit into any of the profiles listed below as each outbreak is unique and each case is different.
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| Profile Name | Description | Typical Behaviour/Exposures | Grocery Shopping | Things to consider when interviewing |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| The Routine Case | Someone who grocery shops at routine intervals, has standard routine meals, and typically has good recall of the food items they did and did not eat | The case typically has the same routine food exposures and consistent weekly schedule The associated exposures that are typical for this type of case include: fresh produce, consistent protein/meats, consistent dairy products (e.g., cheese, sour cream), eggs The case may have a consistent restaurant exposure once or twice a week (e.g., pizza on Friday nights) The case may also receive meal kit deliveries such as GoodFood or Hello Fresh | Usually, all food items are purchased from the same grocery store(s) The case may exhibit brand loyalty or buy a specific type of product e.g., Black Diamond cheese products, or only consumes cheddar cheese There are staple items that the case will always purchase e.g., bagged salad kits, fruits, frozen breaded chicken products, cereal | Ask the case how they plan their meals and their weekly schedule (e.g., activity on Wednesday night, grocery shopping on Thursday). The case may use a calendar/planner to plan meals, write down important events, etc. Ask about typical routine meals (e.g., what do they eat for breakfast/lunch/dinner?) |
| The Healthy Eater | Usually has a consistent healthy diet, composed of a variety of fresh produce. The case has a structured daily routine that focuses on diet and fitness | The case may follow a specific diet or meal plan. There are usually foods that the case always eats and foods they never eat The associated exposures that are typical for this type of case include: a variety of fresh produce items, uncommon or homemade snacks such as protein bars or trail mixes, homemade juices or dips, and a variety of restaurant exposures with healthy meals that may require additional details (e.g., restaurant garden salad) The case may have exposure to various supplements and health beverages such as kombucha, greens powder, etc. The case may also consume seasonal produce that may not be included on the questionnaire | The case may shop at banner grocery stores but may also frequent specialty stores and/or local farmers markets for specific items The case may buy produce from multiple grocery stores, depending on quality or price Brand names of produce items may be hard to recall. Collecting details about packaging/size of product may trigger recall or help with food safety investigations | Ask the case if they use a planner, app, or food journal to track their daily meals. This can help confirm food exposures and daily activities While collecting exposure details, it is important to ask how the food was prepared and how it was consumed (raw/cooked vegetables) The case may make their own food items like dips, juice, smoothies, salad blends, etc. |
| Vegan and Vegetarian | This case does not consume meat and may be similar to the Healthy Eater profile. If the case reports being a vegetarian or vegan, it is still necessary to ask the “do you ever eat” questions, as some people report being a vegetarian but still eat chicken, for example. Each case has their own dietary preferences towards animal products, fish, and may have other dietary needs. If a case reports eating fish or other meat and animal products, consider the Healthy Eater profile instead. | Depending on the cases dietary preferences, there are usually foods that the case always eats and foods they never eat The associated exposures that are typical for this type of case include: fresh produce, homemade food items like juices or dips, meat alternatives such as tempeh or other soy-based products, plant-based meat alternatives (e.g., “Beyond Meat”), grains (e.g., oats, quinoa), legumes (e.g., chickpeas, lentils, beans), dried fruits, nut/seed butters, and pastries or baked goods The case may also consume seasonal produce that may not be included on the questionnaire The case may also eat a variety of fast food or processed snack items that are not considered “healthy”. The case may eat from restaurants and remove the meat/animal products to make the item fit their food preference (e.g., French fries, Taco Bell black bean burrito) | The case may shop at banner grocery stores but may also frequent specialty stores and/or local farmers markets The case may buy produce from multiple grocery stores, depending on quality or price Brand names of produce items may be hard to recall. Collecting details about packaging/size of product may trigger recall or help with food safety investigations | While collecting exposure details, it is important to ask how the food was prepared and how it was consumed (raw/cooked vegetables) Ask the case for an ingredient breakdown of meals to document all possible exposures The case may make their own food items like dips, juice, smoothies, salad blends, etc. Clarify which types of animal products the case will eat e.g., does this differ between what they will buy to eat at home vs what they would order at a restaurant vs what they will eat if offered? |
| Budget Shopper | This case’s food exposures/purchases depend on availability and price. Typically, the case has good recall of the food items they did and did not eat | A typical response from the case regarding product specificity is “whatever is cheapest or on sale that day” The associated exposures that are typical for this type of case include: frozen items such as fish, meat products, fruits and vegetables, canned items, starches (e.g., rice, potatoes), eggs, and pasta dishes | The case may grocery shop in bulk (e.g. Costco), portion items and freeze for later consumption The case may shop from a variety of grocery stores and have a preference on where they buy specific products e.g., only purchase meat from store X and produce from store Y There might be a variety of brands, depending on the price | The case may prepare large family meals, and everyone in the household may eat the same food Ask the case if they use flyers to grocery shop (you can search for flyers from the exposure window to confirm sale items) Loyalty card information is helpful to confirm product details |
| On the go Commuter/Urban | These profiles portray the lifestyles of a person who travels for their work, a single/young adult or someone who lives a very busy lifestyle and typically lives in a city | The case may have a variety of food exposures from different establishments and may not be able to recall all the meals they ate during their exposure window (e.g., coffee and breakfast sandwich on the way to work from unknown location, company lunch from unknown location) The case may report food items that were gifted/purchased by someone else The associated exposures that are typical for this type of case include: salads, wraps, variety of food items from different cuisines (e.g., sushi, pad Thai, shawarma) The case may also receive meal kit deliveries such as GoodFood or Hello Fresh | The case may shop from a handful of different grocery stores, with different locations depending on where the case is located that day The case may live with someone and share the grocery shopping responsibilities but may shop at a different set of stores than the other person | The case may make, eat, or order a variety of dishes from different cuisines. Clarification on meals/ingredients may be required Ask the case if they can use their online banking to help recall restaurant exposures, purchase dates, use of online meal delivery app (e.g., Uber Eats, Door Dash), etc. Ask the case if they take photos of their meals and have them saved in their camera roll, posted online, or texted to a friend |
| Rural | Someone who lives in an area that has limited access to grocery stores, restaurants, and other establishments that are associated with varied food exposures | Due to their rural or small-town location, the case may not have very many exposures outside of the home. However, the case may have exposures related to their geographical location e.g., exposure to farm animals and their products, manure, and/or water source If the case is from a small town, they may feel uncomfortable naming the restaurants they have visited due to fear of reputation and retribution The cases food exposures may be routine and limited to the types of foods available at the grocery stores in the area The associated exposures that are typical for this type of case include: homecooked meals, fresh produce (possibly homegrown), canned items, large quantities of meat from a butcher shop or home raised meat from a neighbour, eggs from a local farm/neighbour | The case may have to commute to the grocery store, and only shops at one or two locations The case may also shop at local stores and/or farmers markets Due to this limited access, the case may grocery shop in bulk, and buy certain products from larger box stores at infrequent intervals e.g., the case might buy all of their meat from Costco and freeze it The case may buy more canned items rather than fresh. It is important to clarify product information | The case may have to commute for work/school/activities outside of the home. Ask the case if they stop for coffee, snacks, or other meals on their way to and from these places It is important to ask the case how the prepare their meals/how they eat a food item of interest (cooked or raw, frozen or fresh) The case may prepare large family meals, and everyone in the household may eat the same food |
| Traditional Home Cook/Large Family | Someone who prepares meals frequently and has multiple people in their household | This case may indicate that they have no idea how they became ill. The case might typically say that everyone in the household eats the same meals and there is no food item that they consume differently The case may have multiple generations living in their household. e.g., grandparents, grandchildren, extended family, in-laws. The case may follow a meal plan or follow a schedule to help them plan meals The associated exposures that are typical for this type of case include: homecooked meals such as casseroles or pastas, elaborate dinners with multiple side dishes, stews and roasts, starches and grains (e.g., rice, potatoes, breads), eggs, and dairy products The case may prepare meals ahead of time and freeze portions for later consumption | The case may grocery shop similar to a Routine Shopper or Budget Shopper. They might grocery shop in bulk, in routine intervals, and have a preference on where they buy certain products The case may shop at a variety of grocery stores, and there may be more than one person in the household doing the grocery shopping | It is important to follow-up on all loyalty cards and cardholders in the family The case may prepare large family style meals, with staple food items such as grains, vegetables, and proteins Traditional home cooks may serve a variety of stews and roasts. It is important to follow up on ingredients in the meals and side dishes served Everyone in the household may eat the same meal and cooking duties may be shared among household members |
| The Convenience Eater | Also known as the “non-cook”, the case is similar to the Budget Shopper or On the Go Commuter but has limited exposures due to food preferences or access to food. The case can be a student, picky eater, or has basic cooking skills | The case may eat out more than once or twice a week. If the case is a teenager, they may purchase their lunch daily when at school The associated exposures that are typical for this type of case include: frozen entrees, ready to eat meals, easy to grab produce (e.g., pre-cut items, berries, bananas, apples, baby carrots), easy to make meals (e.g., boxed macaroni, instant ramen/soups, eggs), and protein supplements (e.g., shakes, bars) The case may not have a lot of fresh produce exposures or elaborate homemade meals and may eat the same consistent meals | The case may live with someone and share the grocery shopping responsibilities but may shop at a different set of stores than the other person The case might shop sales and there might be a variety of brands, depending on the price | Ask the case if they can use their online banking to help recall restaurant exposures, purchase dates, etc. Ask about typical routine meals (e.g., what do they eat for breakfast/lunch/dinner?) Ask about their likes and dislikes with food and typical cuisine they cook at home |
| The Child | The case is a child, under the age of 14. A proxy will speak on their behalf. The case may not be present during the interview. | The case may have a limited diet due to preferences or age. The case may also prefer a certain brand for a type of product (e.g., one type of pasta sauce) The case may also have a routine diet on weekdays and weekends The associated exposures that are typical for this type of case include: homemade meals, easy to grab snacks (e.g., granola bars, yogurt cups, cheese), fruit, baked goods (e.g., muffins, croissants, buns), frozen breaded chicken products, hot dogs, and burgers The case might eat different meals than the rest of the family | Due to the case’s age, their parent/guardian are likely to do the household grocery shopping. Grocery shopping habits depend on what case profile the proxy falls under | Ask about the case’s likes and dislikes regarding food and routine meals Cases will likely attend day care, school, and participate in extra circular activities. The case may have unknown exposures associated with the time spent away from their parent/guardian. Follow-up about additional interviews to gather a more complete picture of the cases’ food exposures; this could mean interviewing multiple individuals including parents/proxies and case when appropriate (e.g., shared parenting arrangements, calling daycares, requesting school menus) |
| The Teenager | The case is between the ages of 14 and 18 and attends high school. A proxy may be able to complete the full interview, but the case can offer details about exposures unknown by the proxy. | The case may have a limited diet due to preferences or age The associated exposures that are typical for this type of case include: homemade meals, easy to grab snacks (e.g., produce, granola bars, yogurt cups, cheese), convenience meals (e.g., ramen noodles, frozen meals) The case may have many food exposures outside of the home | Due to the case’s age, their parent/guardian are likely to do the household grocery shopping. Grocery shopping habits depend on what case profile the proxy falls under | Ask about the case’s likes and dislikes regarding food and routine meals Cases will likely attend school, have part-time jobs, and spend time with friends where exposures may be unknown. Also consider if the case attends any extra curricular activities Ask the case where they go to school and look up surrounding food establishments to ask the case if they eat there (e.g., Pita Pit next to the school campus) Follow-up about additional interviews to gather a more complete picture of the cases’ food exposures; this could mean interviewing multiple individuals including parents/proxies and case when appropriate (e.g., shared parenting arrangements, exposure details needed from a friend) |
| The Average Eater | The case is a generally “average” eater, reporting produce and meat products that are perceived as common or easily accessible, and many processed food and snack items. The case generally does not report uncommon/specialty foods and has fairly routine meals consisting of few spices and ingredients. | The case may eat out more than once or twice a week. The associated exposures that are typical for this type of case include: Common meats (e.g., deli meat, chicken breast), easy to grab produce (e.g., berries, bananas, apples, grapes, baby carrots), basic spices (e.g., garlic powder, onion powder), processed food (e.g., chicken nuggets, cereal, cheese, peanut butter), and processed snacks (e.g., chips, granola bars, crackers, cookies). The case may not consume meals with lots of ingredients and spices, and may consistently consume the same foods/meals. The case does not usually consume uncommon or specialty foods. | The case may shop from a handful of different grocery stores, with different locations depending on where the case is located that day. The case might shop sales and there might be a variety of brands, depending on the price. | Ask the case if they can use their online banking to help recall restaurant exposures, purchase dates, etc. Ask about typical routine meals (e.g., what do they eat for breakfast/lunch/dinner?) Ask about their likes and dislikes with food and typical cuisine they cook at home. |