$14.6B for Foodborne Illnesses
USDA estimated annual cost of foodborne illness per year. Including medical costs, lost wages & prevention expenditures.
Foodborne Illness Stats
The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) estimates that each year roughly 1 in 6 Americans (or 48 million people) get sick, 128,000 are hospitalized, and 3,000 die of foodborne diseases. Reducing foodborne illness by just 10% would keep 5 million Americans from getting sick each year.
Determining the sources of foodborne illness is an important part of identifying opportunities to improve food safety. Having a better sense of the relationship between contaminated foods and illness supports food safety along the entire food production chain—from fields where food is grown to cutting boards in kitchens.
Attributing illness to foods is a challenge for several reasons. There are thousands of different foods, and we eat many varieties even in a single meal. For the vast majority of foodborne illnesses, we do not know what food is responsible for someone getting sick
Questions to Ask for a Report of Foodborne Illness
- What is the Primary complaint? (vomiting, diarrhea, fever, nausea, abdominal cramps, skin irritation, jaundice)
- Was medical attention sought?
- What food(s) were consumed whilst dining at the restaurant?
- List the names of any other food establishments visited in the last 5 days?
- What is the contact info of person making the complaint?