Foodborne disease is any infectious disease transmitted via contaminated food. The CDC estimates that every year foodborne diseases cause approximately 76 million illnesses, 325,000 hospitalizations, and 5,000 deaths in the United States. It is estimated that 2-3% of foodborne illness cases may cause permanent injuries or health damage, which may never be traced back to the disease source. (Source: USDA/Fightbac).

Many foodborne illnesses are caused by bacterial contamination, including E. coli O157:H7, Salmonella, Campylobacter jejuni, and Listeria monocytogenes. Viruses, such as Norwalk-like virus and Hepatitis A, are also frequently transmitted through food, as are parasites such as Cryptosporidium and Giardia.

Severe foodborne disease is almost always a preventable tragedy. Most foodborne illnesses result from missteps at several places in the food chain. Pathogens are allowed into the food we consume through ill planned farming techniques and faulty production procedures, exacerbated by lax regulation, spread by careless food handling, and sustained by the lack of sufficient response on the part of individuals, government, industry, medical and public health communities.

• Foodborne Illness overview
• Common Foodborne Illnesses
• Myths and Facts about Foodborne Illnesses
• List of Foodborne Pathogens and Associated Foods
• Statistics Study
• S.T.O.P. Report:"The State of Our Food Supply 10 Years after the Jack-in-the-Box Outbreak" (pdf 358K)
• Understanding Hemolytic Uremic Syndrome Medical Terms