Risky Behavior - … But Dining In May Sicken You

The graphic shows incidences of the four major bacterial food-borne illnesses from 1996 through 2000 (see Chapter 2 for definitions). FoodNet first began collecting this data in 1996.⁵ It is plain to see that we are living in a microbial world. Estimates vary, but the CDC reports that every year there are 76 million cases of food poisoning in the United States and about 30,000 Americans are hospitalized each year for Salmonella and Campylobacter infections (they are the two major villains) they got from tainted food. An estimated 5,000 people die. Most at risk are infants and young children. All this despite the fact that Americans are said to have the world's safest food supply.

The fact is, like fast food, home cooking can be hazardous to your health. In reviewing Eric Schlosser's book Fast Food Nation, Nicols Fox wrote: "Given the dangers of cross- contamination and under-cooking, it seems to me very likely safer, from a microbial perspective, to eat the fast-food version of a hamburger than one prepared at home."

Many food-borne illnesses are the result of poor hygiene and bad decisions on the part of the cook. Poorly canned foods, undercooked meat and eggs, groceries past their sell-by date, unpasteurized dairy products — all are breeding places for sickening pathogens.

It is likely that millions of cases of food poisoning go unreported each year. Remember that little stomach upset you experienced after you ate Aunt M—a's (underdone) fried chicken at the Fourth of July picnic? You recovered without official notice being taken. But the CDC wants precise numbers so it can track outbreaks and protect consumers. Therein lies another problem — too many government cooks, too little communication. FoodNet and HACCP⁶ are just two recent government measures intended to address concerns about the nation's food supply.

Irradiation as a way to prevent food contamination is one controversial solution. The FDA is for it: "The process has been shown to be safe and to significantly reduce bacterial contamination." The Organic Consumers Association is against it: "Science has not proved that a long-term diet of irradiated foods is safe for human health."

The good news? A year after releasing the data that appear on the graph, Health and Human Services Secretary Tommy Thompson released new data showing a 23% drop in incidences of the four major food-borne illnesses between 1996-2000. In the wake of 9/11, however, and the threat of food-borne terrorism, Thompson told U.S. News & World Report: "I am more fearful about this than anything else."⁷

Sources: "Preliminary FoodNet Data on the Incidence of Foodborne Illnesses—Selected Sites, United States, 2000," MMWR Morbidity and Natality Weekly Report, April 6, 2001: http://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/. Nicols Fox, "Feeding Frenzy," January 28, 2001; p. T03: http://www.washingtonpost.com. "Foodborne Illnesses Post Dramatic Six-Year Decline." HHS News. April 18, 2002: http://www.hhs.gov/news/ "What's Wrong With Food Irradiation." Organic Consumers Association. February 2001: http://www.purefood.org/irrad/irradfact. "FDA Approves Irradiation of Meat for Pathogen Control, HHS News: http://www.cfsan.fda.gov/~lrd/hhsirrad.html. Foodborne Illness Education Information Center: http://www.nal.usda.gov/foodborne/index.html.