Fact Sheets - Produce Safety Project

Cost of Foodborne Illness

Foodborne illnesses carry with them significant economic and social costs that extend far beyond the immediate victim.
What Food Safety Experts Say

Our focus today needs to be on prevention, not just reaction, if we are to have any hope of averting a future failure in the food safety system. — Dr. David A. Kessler, Former Commissioner, U.S. Food and Drug Administration
FDA Responsibilities and Resources

Charged with responsibility of keeping 80% of the nation’s food supply (including fresh produce) safe, the FDA receives less than 25% of federal dollars spent on food safety activities.
Foodborne Pathogens Associated with Fresh Fruits and Vegetables

The major foodborne microbial pathogens that may be found in fresh produce include Cyclospora cayetanensis, Escherichia coli O157:H7, Hepatitis A, Listeria monocytogenes, Norovirus, Salmonella spp., and Shigella spp.
Produce-Related Foodborne-Illness Outbreaks

Out of the approximately 72 reported outbreaks of foodborne illness associated with fresh produce from 1996 to 2007, 13 outbreaks were associated with tomatoes, 11 outbreaks with melons, and 24 outbreaks with leafy greens such as lettuce and spinach.
FDA Actions Regarding Produce Safety

For more than a decade, the FDA has recognized the need to make fresh produce safer. However, it has relied on voluntary guidelines instead of mandatory and enforceable federal standards.