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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.