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CDC Finds Little Progress Containing Foodborne Illness

No major declines in most areas; some problems worsened

April 11, 2008

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Salmonella and E. coli outbreaks have focused public attention on food safety issues in recent months. But the Centers For Disease Control reports that recent efforts to curtail incidents of foodborne illnesses have yet to produce much in the way of results.

The findings are from 2007 data reported to the CDC as part of the agency's Foodborne Diseases Active Surveillance Network, FoodNet. FoodNet monitors foodborne disease and conducts studies to help health officials better understand the nature of the problem.

FoodNet monitors foodborne disease and conducts studies to help health officials better understand the nature of the problem.

Campylobacter, Listeria, Salmonella, Shigella, E.coli O157, Vibrio, and Yersinia did not decline significantly, and the estimated incidence of Cryptosporidium increased when compared with the previous three years, 2004-2006.

Although there have been significant declines in the incidence of some foodborne infections since surveillance began in 1996, these declines all occurred before 2004.

"The results show that prevention efforts have been partly successful, but there has been little further progress in the most recent years," said Dr. Robert Tauxe, deputy director of CDC′s Division of Foodborne, Bacterial and Mycotic Diseases. "More needs to be done to make our food safer."

Consumers can reduce their risk for foodborne illness by following safe food-handling recommendations and by avoiding the consumption of unpasteurized milk, raw or undercooked oysters, raw or undercooked eggs, raw or undercooked ground beef, and undercooked poultry," the CDC said.

The risk for foodborne illness can also be decreased by choosing in-shell pasteurized eggs, irradiated ground meat, and high-pressure-treated oysters.

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