CDC determines major sources of foodborne illness
February 25, 2015 |10:38 AM
The Centers for Disease Control has released a report that tells how most people got foodborne illnesses caused by four known pathogens:
In contrast, salmonella was more broadly attributed, as 77 percent of illnesses were attributed to a combination of seeded vegetables (18 percent), eggs (12 percent), fruits (12 percent), chicken (10 percent), sprouts (8 percent), beef (9 percent), and pork (8 percent).
The report was written in conjunction with the Food and Drug Administration and the Agriculture Department’s Food Safety and Inspection Service, and the authors said it would help determine how to focus the government’s efforts to reduce foodborne illness.
Each year in the United States, an estimated 9 million people get sick, 55,000 are hospitalized, and 1,000 die of foodborne disease caused by known pathogens, the report said.
- 74 percent of campylobacter illnesses were attributed to dairy (66 percent) and chicken (8 percent);
- 82 percent of E. coli. illnesses were attributed to beef (46 percent) and vegetable row crops (36 percent), and
- 81 percent of listeria monocytogenes illnesses were attributed to fruits (50 percent) and dairy (31 percent).
In contrast, salmonella was more broadly attributed, as 77 percent of illnesses were attributed to a combination of seeded vegetables (18 percent), eggs (12 percent), fruits (12 percent), chicken (10 percent), sprouts (8 percent), beef (9 percent), and pork (8 percent).
The report was written in conjunction with the Food and Drug Administration and the Agriculture Department’s Food Safety and Inspection Service, and the authors said it would help determine how to focus the government’s efforts to reduce foodborne illness.
Each year in the United States, an estimated 9 million people get sick, 55,000 are hospitalized, and 1,000 die of foodborne disease caused by known pathogens, the report said.
