Tag Archives: Foodnet

Hey kids, the snails are back: CDC releases 2013 FoodNet data

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That’s the tagline from a Far Side cartoon and what immediately came to mind upon reading yet again that reductions in foodborne illness were stagnant for 2013.

There were successes, failures and shifting profiles of what foods lead to foodborne illness, because whatever Americans choose to eat, under whatever production system, some smart bug is going to figure out how to flourish.

And the FoodNet data remains the best and most publicly available surveillance data in the world; that’s right, best in the world.

The Foodborne Diseases Active Surveillance Network (FoodNet) monitors the incidence of laboratory-confirmed infections caused by nine pathogens transmitted commonly through food in 10 U.S. sites, covering approximately 15% of the U.S. population. This report summarizes preliminary 2013 data and describes trends since 2006. In 2013, a total of 19,056 infections, 4,200 hospitalizations, and 80 deaths were reported. For most infections, incidence was well above national Healthy People 2020 incidence targets and highest among children aged <5 years. Compared with 2010–2012, the estimated incidence of infection in 2013 was lower for Salmonella, higher for Vibrio, and unchanged overall. Since 2006–2008, the overall incidence has not changed significantly. More needs to be done.

Yes, more needs to be done. Part of that involves abandoning archaic communications and invoking current, compelling and credible food safety messages using a variety of media, at the places where people make food decisions – whether it’s the local market or the megalomart.

cdc.fbi.annual.13The complete report is available at http://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/preview/mmwrhtml/mm6315a3.htm?s_cid=mm6315a3_e

Incidence and trends of infection with pathogens transmitted commonly through food — Foodborne Diseases Active Surveillance Network, 10 U.S. sites, 2006–2013.

CDC MMWR 63(15);328-332

Stacy M. Crim, Martha Iwamoto, Jennifer Y. Huang, Patricia M. Griffin, Debra Gilliss, Alicia B. Cronquist, Matthew Cartter, Melissa Tobin-D’Angelo, David Blythe, Kirk Smith, Sarah Lathrop, Shelley Zansky, Paul R. Cieslak, John Dunn, Kristin G. Holt, Susan Lance, Robert Tauxe, Olga L. Henao

cdc.foodnet.13

Salmonella numbers still high, O157 way down; new Foodnet numbers

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Salmonella infections in the U.S. have not declined in a decade, and should be targeted in new public health initiatives.

So says the U.S. Centers for Disease Control in the annual Foodnet update.

The report says the incidence of E. coli O157 infection has declined to reach the 2010 national health objective target of ≤1 case per 100,000.

The prevention measures that reduced STEC O157 infection need to be applied more broadly to reduce Salmonella and other infections.

Same as it Ever Was: U.S. FoodNet data for 2009 shows nothing has changed

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I finished our U.S. taxes early this morning and filed before the April 15 deadline.

Amy wasn’t taking advantage of our full deductions, so I pompously declared I would do the taxes this year – my first time filing in the U.S. – and then of course waited until the last day to file.

They’re done, at least until we get audited, so it’s back to foodborne illness and the annual FoodNet data which is awesome because it provides an annual snapshot, and sucks because it shows nothing is changing.

All the talk in Washington, all the outbreaks, all the Pulitzer-prize winning media coverage, all the ridiculously boring coverage of so-called foodborne illness in the vanity presses by those who can afford them and … the incidence of foodborne illness isn’t changing. So maybe it’s time to do something different.

In 2009, a total of 17,468 laboratory-confirmed cases of infection were identified. In comparison with the first 3 years of surveillance (1996–1998), sustained declines in the reported incidence of infections caused by Campylobacter, Listeria, Salmonella, Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli (STEC) O157, Shigella, and Yersinia were observed. The incidence of Vibrio infection continued to increase. Compared with the preceding 3 years (2006–2008), significant decreases in the reported incidence of Shigella and STEC O157 infections were observed. For most infections, reported incidence was highest among children aged <4 years; the percentage of persons hospitalized and the case fatality rate (CFR) were highest among persons aged ≥50 years. In 2009, the Healthy People 2010 target of ≤1.0 case per 100,000 population for STEC O157 infection (objective 10-1b) was met (2). Further collaborative efforts with regulatory agencies and industry are needed to sustain and extend recent declines and to improve prevention of foodborne infections.

Maybe someone should take leadership and stop gassing on about collaboration.

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Efforts to reduce foodborne illness remain stalled; new approaches needed so fewer people barf

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The Centers for Disease Control reported today that foodborne illness remains a significant public health issue in the United States, and that, “fundamental problems with bacterial and parasitic contamination are not being resolved.”

Douglas Powell, an associate professor of food safety at Kansas State University, says that more training, testing and inspecting is not the answer.

"There are way too many people getting sick," Powell said. "The CDC data show existing efforts to reduce foodborne illness have stalled. We need new messages using new media to really create a culture that values microbiologically safe food."

Powell publishes barfblog.com and conducts research on human food safety behavior from farm-to-fork. He can be reached by phone at 785-317-0560, or e-mail dpowell@k-state.edu.

His bio is at
http://www.k-state.edu/media/mediaguide/bios/powellbio.html
 

New strategies required to reduce foodborne illness says CDC; don’t eat poop

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The Centers for Disease Control reported today that foodborne illness remains a significant public health issue in the U.S., with Salmonella infections increasingly problematic.

"Although significant declines in the incidence of certain foodborne pathogens have occurred since 1996, these declines all occurred before 2004," the CDC reported (http://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/preview/mmwrhtml/mm5714a2.htm).

"Outbreaks caused by contaminated peanut butter, frozen pot pies, and a puffed vegetable snack in 2007 underscore the need to prevent contamination of commercially produced products. The outbreak associated with turtle exposure highlights the importance of animals as a nonfood source of human infections. To reduce the incidence of Salmonella infections, concerted efforts are needed throughout the food supply chain, from farm to processing plant to kitchen."

"Food safety is a continuing problem that starts at the farm and continues through the food chain all the way to the kitchen," Dr. Robert Tauxe, deputy director of CDC’s Division of Foodborne, Bacterial and Mycotic Diseases, said during a teleconference.

Given that rates of foodborne infection haven’t changed significantly in the past three years, more needs to be done to improve food safety, Tauxe said "We have to be vigilant about hygiene practices and prevention all along the way to reduce the risk of foodborne infection."

"There’s just way too many sick people," said Dr. Douglas Powell, an associate professor and scientific director of the International Food Safety Network at Kansas State University.

" The CDC data show existing efforts to reduce fodborne illness have stalled," said Powell, who also publishes barfblog.com. "We need new messages using new media to really create a culture that values microbiologically safe food."