Afew months ago, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention published a summary of multistate foodborne illness outbreaks from 2017 to 2020. This is the most recent data published by the CDC on outbreak trends.
In the summary, the CDC analyzed 470 possible multistate outbreak investigations during this period, of which 250 (53%) were determined to involve more than one state. Outbreaks are defined as two or more people contracting the same illness from a common source. Of these 250 multistate outbreaks, the CDC and their partners were able to solve 199 (80%) and confirm the source for 134 (67%).
Of the 250 multistate outbreaks, 186 (74%) were caused by salmonella, 39 (16%) by shiga toxin-producing E. coli, and 25 (10%) by listeria. These outbreaks resulted in 14,312 documented illnesses, 3,517 hospitalizations and 65 deaths. Of these cases, salmonella caused the majority (89%) of illnesses. It is important to note that for any outbreak, it is estimated that there are up to 10 times more illnesses than what is reported. This is because many people do not seek medical care when they are ill, and thus are never included in the case counts.
The number of multistate outbreaks increased from 2017 to 2019, but this increase may have been due to better surveillance technologies implemented over the last several years. Despite increases during these years, the number of overall outbreaks decreased in 2020 mostly because of a reduction in salmonella and E. coli outbreaks. It is unknown why the number of outbreaks dropped in 2020, but the CDC believes that the COVID-19 pandemic likely played a role. This may be because of the reallocation of public health resources focused on COVID-19, people less willing to seek medical care, and changes in consumers’ eating and grocery shopping patterns.
Most solved multistate outbreaks from 2017 to 2020 were caused by fruits, vegetable row crops, multiple food sources, chicken, beef, dairy and pork. Despite these items causing the majority of the outbreaks, most illnesses were caused by root/underground vegetables, fruit, multiple food sources, vegetable row crops, beef, chicken and turkey.
Notable outbreaks that occurred during this period include numerous romaine lettuce recalls because of contamination with E. coli, two large multistate salmonella outbreaks caused by contaminated ground beef, listeria contamination of deli meats and cheeses, and two multistate outbreaks of salmonella linked to raw poultry products. Additionally, there have been yearly outbreaks of salmonella linked to backyard poultry. According to the CDC, backyard poultry outbreaks in 2020 caused 1,737 illnesses across all 50 states, 333 hospitalizations, and two deaths.
Most of these outbreaks are preventable, but it takes everyone working across the entire food system to stop them. The Food Safety Modernization Act, or FSMA, signed into law in 2011, aims to take a proactive rather than reactive approach to food safety from the growing and processing of food to the transportation and importation of food. Moreover, these regulations are still evolving.
The Food and Drug Administration recently published the final Food Traceability Rule, which will require the growers and processors of certain foods to keep traceability records, allowing for rapid identification of products that may be involved in outbreaks. The compliance date for this rule is Jan. 20, 2026.
Although FSMA should reduce the number of U.S. outbreaks each year, consumers should also take steps to reduce illnesses. Wash hands often before, during and after preparing food and before consuming food. Wash cutting boards, utensils and other food contact surfaces often with warm, soapy water, especially in between preparing raw and ready-to-eat foods.
Always keep raw foods, such as uncooked meat, poultry and seafood, away from ready-to-eat foods. Most pathogens are easily destroyed by cooking food to the proper internal temperatures and storing food at the correct temperatures. Food kept between 40 degrees Fahrenheit and 140 degrees Fahrenheit must be thrown out after two hours, as bacteria can grow rapidly at these temperatures. Refrigerate or freeze perishable foods as quickly as possible to prevent growth of pathogens.
By taking a proactive approach to food safety across the entire food system, we can reduce the number of foodborne illness outbreaks in 2023. For more information on the CDC report on foodborne illness outbreaks, visit bit.ly/3vcqWBS. More information on FSMA can be found atbit.ly/2QCgheg. Visitbit.ly/2Y8Mux7 to read more about steps you can take to keep your family safe from foodborne illness.
Smith is an assistant professor and statewide consumer food specialist for Washington State University. She can be reached at food.safety@wsu.edu. Send questions or subjects for future columns to us at food.safety@wsu.edu.
