Foodborne illness associated with imported foods on the rise
According to a study published in the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC) Emerging Infectious Diseases, there is a small but increasing number of foodborne disease outbreaks associated with imported foods, most commonly fish and produce.
According to a study published in the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC) Emerging Infectious Diseases, there is a small but increasing number of foodborne disease outbreaks associated with imported foods, most commonly fish and produce. Approximately 19% of food consumed in the United States is imported, including ~97% of fish and shellfish, ~50% of fresh fruits, and ~20% of fresh vegetables. The proportion of food that is imported has increased steadily over the past 20 years because of changing consumer demand for a wider selection of food products and increasing demand for produce items year round.
The researchers reviewed outbreak reports to identify outbreaks associated with an imported food from the inception of the surveillance system in 1973 through 2014, the most recent year for which data were available. During 1996–2014, a total of 195 outbreak investigations implicated an imported food, resulting in 10,685 illnesses, 1,017 hospitalizations, and 19 deaths. Outbreaks associated with imported foods represented an increasing proportion of all foodborne disease outbreaks where a food was implicated and reported (1% during 1996–2000 vs. 5% during 2009–2014).
The most common agents reported in outbreaks associated with imported foods were scombroid toxin and Salmonella; most illnesses were associated with Salmonella and Cyclospora. Aquatic animals were responsible for 55% of outbreaks and 11% of outbreak-associated illnesses. Produce was responsible for 33% of outbreaks and 84% of outbreak-associated illnesses. Outbreaks attributed to produce had a median of 40 illnesses compared with a median of three in outbreaks attributed to aquatic animals. Many outbreaks, particularly outbreaks involving produce, were associated with foods imported from countries in Latin America and the Caribbean. In addition, one quarter of the outbreaks were multistate, reflecting the wide distribution of many imported foods.
The researchers concluded that the findings reflect current patterns in food imports and provide information to help guide future outbreak investigations. “Prevention focused on the most common imported foods causing outbreaks—produce and seafood—could help prevent outbreaks,” wrote the researchers. “Efforts to improve the safety of the food supply can include strengthening reporting by gathering better data on the origin of implicated food items, including whether imported and from what country.”