The Costs of Food Born Illness and Related Information

From the Web page of the Partnership for Food Safety Education (PFSE)

Foodborne illness is much more than the “stomach flu”, and it is a serious health issue and economic burden for consumers. According to the Economic Research Service (ERS) of the USDA, each year $6.9 billion in costs are associated with five bacterial pathogens, Campylobacter, Salmonella, Listeria monocytogenes, E. coli O157:H7, and E. coli non-O157:H7 STEC (2000). These costs are associated with medical expenses, lost productivity, and even death.The ERS estimates that the annual economic cost of salmonellosis—the illness caused by the Salmonella bacterium—is $2.65 billion (2009). This estimate is for all cases of salmonellosis, not just foodborne cases. The estimate includes medical costs due to illness, the cost (value) of time lost from work due to nonfatal illness, and the cost (value) of premature death.

The ERS estimates that the annual economic cost of illness caused by shiga toxin-producing E. coli (STEC O157) is $478 million (2009). This estimate is for all cases of STEC O157 disease, not just foodborne cases. The estimate includes medical costs due to illness, kidney dialysis and transplant costs, and the cost (value) of time lost from work due to nonfatal illness, and the cost (value) of premature death.

The ERS estimates that the annual economic cost of illness caused by Campylobacter, the most frequently isolated cause of foodborne diarrhea, is $1.2 billion. The estimate includes medical costs, lost productivity, and death due tocampylobacteriosis from food sources and costs associated Guillain-Barré syndrome (GBS), a form of paralysis.

Estimates for the cost of foodborne illness do not include other significant costs to both industry and government.

The Partnership for Food Safety Education is a collaboration of the US Depts of Health and Human Services, Education as well as leaders of food trade associations, consumer and public health organizations and the Association of Food and Drug Officials.

The PFSE  Web page includes links to

• Safe Food Handling Tips outlined by Clean, Separate, Cook, Chill
• Foodborn Illness information (link to the CDC Web page topic page)
• Education and Outreach page with links to curriculum (3 separate entries for K-12) and pages for kids (including multimedia sites, quizzes, activities, and more). Be sure to check out Big E’s grossest hits (a matching/learning game) hosted by an Elvis impersonator. Big E is at the Scrub Club.
• Downloads include brochures, fliers, kids activities, PowerPoint presentations, and more