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6 stories for National Food Safety Education Month
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Contaminated food sickens an estimated 48 million people in the United States each year, leading to 128,000 hospitalizations and 3,000 deaths, according to the CDC.
In recognition of National Food Safety Education Month, Infectious Disease News compiled six articles that focus on foodborne disease, food safety and diet.
Preventing foodborne disease a ‘farm to fork issue’
In search of the latest clinically relevant information, Infectious Disease News spoke with leading experts about what is causing foodborne disease in the U.S., how infections are being diagnosed and tracked and how the behavior of patients and physicians is having an impact. Read more.
Another source of foodborne disease to consider: kitchen towels
There is a risk that the pathogens that accumulate on kitchen towels can cause food poisoning, but how much of a risk depends on several factors, including family size, diet type and what exactly the towels are used for, researchers reported at ASM Microbe. Read more.
Should all food be irradiated?
The FDA has found irradiated food to be safe — astronauts eat it — and has approved a variety of foods for irradiation in the U.S. Yet food irradiation remains rare. Infectious Disease News asked Francisco Diez-Gonzalez, PhD, director of the Center for Food Safety at the University of Georgia, if all food consumed in the U.S. should be irradiated. Read more.
Q&A: Multistate outbreak from romaine lettuce raises questions about food safety
Infectious Disease News spoke with Robert Tauxe, MD, director of CDC’s Division of Foodborne, Waterborne, and Environmental Diseases, to learn more about a spate of Escherichia coli 0157:H7 infections linked to romaine lettuce and the role of industry, consumers and clinicians in preventing foodborne outbreaks. Read more.
Most acute gastroenteritis outbreaks in youth camps from food, water
More than half of U.S. states reported outbreaks of acute gastroenteritis among children attending youth camps during a recent study period, according to research published in the Journal of the Pediatric Infectious Diseases Society. Outbreaks were most frequently related to norovirus exposure after food preparation or recreational water activities, researchers said. Read more.
One-third of parents say children got foodborne illness at home
One-third of parents reported that their child got sick from food eaten in their own home, and the effort they put into preventing food poisoning varies, according to results from the C.S. Mott Children’s Hospital National Poll on Children’s Health. Read more.