Regulated Foods
November 25, 2009
Common sense isn’t that common, they say. In fact, getting a food-borne illness is more Common than having simple logic. They’re so common that, in the United States, the top 10 riskiest Food and Drug Administration-regulated foods have been linked to more than 1,500 outbreaks, causing nearly 50,000 reported cases in the last 20 years. Here’s the breakdown:
Topping the list released by the Center for Science in the Public Interest are green leafy vegetables. They constitute 363 outbreaks involving 13,568 reported cases of illness. Salads tossed with lettuces, spinach, cabbage and other greens account for 24 percent of the top 10 outbreaks. E. coli O 157:H7 contamination is blamed for causing a majority of the conditions.
Not far behind are eggs with 352 outbreaks involving 11,63 reported cases of illness. Salmonella—specifically the enteriditis strain, which infects the ovaries of hens (even healthy ones) and contaminates the eggs pre-shell formation is the causing contaminant.
Tuna is on the third spot. 268 outbreaks involving 2,341 reported cases of illness have been linked to the consumption of tuna products. The patients were mostly diagnosed with Scombroid illnesses and the rest were affected by Norovirus and Salmonella.
Number four are oysters. One hundred thirty-four outbreaks involving 3,409 reported cases of illness originated from Norovirus and Vibrio. Almost all the cases were traced to restaurants serving oysters raw or undercooked.
Potatoes take the fifth rank with 108 outbreaks involving 3,659 reported cases of illness. The conditions point to a number of pathogens, including Salmonella, E. coli, Shigella and Listera monocytogenes. Outbreaks are linked to dishes with other ingredients, like potato salad. E.coli and Listeria, in particular, can cross-contaminate from raw ingredients and countertops.
Cheese accounts for 83 outbreaks involving 2,761 reported cases of illness and while ice cream caused 74 outbreaks involving 2,594 reported cases of illness (ranIng sixth and seventh, respectively). Salmonella was the most common hazard among both product categories. Staphylcoccus was also a contaminant found in ice cream.
Number eight and nine are tomatoes and sprouts with 31 outbreaks each. The former involves 3,292 reported cases of illness and the latter, 2,022. According to the report, Salmonela can enter tomato plants through the roots, flowers and cracks on the fruit’s skin. Meanwhile, raw sprouts may contain Salmonella or E. coli.
The final spot on the list goes to berries (strawberries, raspberries, blackberries and other berry products). Twenty-frye outbreaks involving 3,397 reported cases of illness were caused by Cylospora it’s a parasitic infection of the intestines. Symptoms include severe diarrhea, dehydration and stomach cramps.