FOODBORNE DISEASE OUTBREAKS OF CHEMICAL ETIOLOGY IN THE UNITED STATES, 1970–1974

ABSTRACT Consumer demand for organically produced foods is increasing in the United States as well as globally. Consumer perception often credits organic foods as being safer than conventionally produced foods, although organic standards do not directly address safety issues such as microbial or chemical hazards. We reviewed outbreaks reported to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's Foodborne Disease Outbreak Surveillance System where the implicated food was reported to be organic. Information collected for each outbreak included the year, state, number of illnesses, pathogen, and implicated food. We identified 18 outbreaks caused by organic foods from 1992 to 2014, resulting in 779 illnesses, 258 hospitalizations, and 3 deaths; 56% of outbreaks occurred from 2010 to 2014. Nine outbreaks occurred in a single state, and nine outbreaks were multistate. Salmonella sp. (44% of outbreaks) and Escherichia coli O157:H7 (33%) were the most commonly occurring pathogens. Eight of the outbreaks were attributed to produce items, four to unpasteurized dairy products, two to eggs, two to nut and seed products, and two to multi-ingredient foods. Fifteen (83%) outbreaks were associated with foods that were definitely or likely U.S. Department of Agriculture certified. More foodborne outbreaks associated with organic foods in the United States have been reported in recent years, in parallel with increases in organic food production and consumption. We are unable to assess risk of outbreaks due to organic foods compared with conventional foods because foodborne outbreak surveillance does not systematically collect food production method. Food safety requires focused attention by consumers, regardless of whether foods are produced organically or conventionally. Consumers should be aware of the risk of milk and produce consumed raw, including organic.

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Multistate foodborne disease outbreaks associated with raw tomatoes, United States, 1990–2010: a recurring public health problem

Epidemiology and Infection ◽

10.1017/s0950268814002167 ◽

2014 ◽

Vol 143 (7) ◽

pp. 1352-1359 ◽

Cited By ~ 62

Author(s):

S. D. BENNETT ◽

K. W. LITTRELL ◽

T. A. HILL ◽

M. MAHOVIC ◽

C. BARTON BEHRAVESH

Keyword(s):

United States ◽

Disease Outbreaks ◽

Public Health Problem ◽

The United States ◽

Government Agencies ◽

Foodborne Disease ◽

Trade Associations ◽

Fresh Cut ◽

Fresh Tomato ◽

Epidemiological Characteristics

SUMMARYWe examined multistate outbreaks attributed to raw tomatoes in the United States from 1990 to 2010. We summarized the demographic and epidemiological characteristics of 15 outbreaks resulting in 1959 illnesses, 384 hospitalizations, and three deaths. Most (80%) outbreaks were reported during 2000–2010; 73% occurred May–September. Outbreaks commonly affected adult (median age 34 years) women (median 58% of outbreak cases). All outbreaks were caused bySalmonella[serotypes Newport (n = 6 outbreaks), Braenderup (n = 2), Baildon, Enteritidis, Javiana, Montevideo, Thompson, Typhimurium (n = 1 each); multiple serotypes (n = 1)]. Red, round (69% of outbreaks), Roma (23%), and grape (8%) tomatoes were implicated. Most (93%) outbreaks were associated with tomatoes served predominantly in restaurants. However, traceback investigations suggested that contamination occurred on farms, at packinghouses, or at fresh-cut processing facilities. Government agencies, academia, trade associations, and the fresh tomato industry should consider further efforts to identify interventions to reduce contamination of tomatoes during production and processing.

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Policy responses to foodborne disease outbreaks in the United States and Germany

Agriculture and Human Values ◽

10.1007/s10460-021-10243-9 ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Kelsey D. Meagher

Keyword(s):

United States ◽

Disease Outbreaks ◽

The United States ◽

Policy Outcomes ◽

Foodborne Disease ◽

Structured Interviews ◽

Health Crisis ◽

E Coli ◽

Archival Documents ◽

Major Outbreak

AbstractThis paper explores differences in national responses to foodborne disease outbreaks, addressing both the sources of policy divergence and their implications for public health and coordinated emergency response. It presents findings from a comparative study of two multi-state E. coli outbreaks, one in the United States (2006) and one in Germany (2011), demonstrating important differences in how risk managers understood and responded to each nation’s first major outbreak associated with fresh produce. Drawing on a qualitative analysis of 36 semi-structured interviews with key stakeholders and hundreds of archival documents, this paper traces how social constructions of the E. coli risk interacted with organizational dynamics among state and industry actors to produce divergent policy outcomes: the U.S. outbreak was understood primarily as an agricultural problem that led to an industry-led agricultural solution, whereas the German outbreak was understood as a human disease problem that did not result in a substantial policy response once the acute health crisis passed. The paper concludes by discussing how these policy processes generate partial solutions to foodborne contamination that expose modern societies to systemic vulnerabilities.

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Improving Response to Foodborne Disease Outbreaks in the United States

Journal of Public Health Management and Practice ◽

10.1097/phh.0000000000000115 ◽

2015 ◽

Vol 21 (4) ◽

pp. E18-E26 ◽

Cited By ~ 7

Author(s):

Gwen Kathryn Biggerstaff

Keyword(s):

United States ◽

Disease Outbreaks ◽

The United States ◽

Foodborne Disease

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Geospatial Mapping of Early Cases in Multistate Foodborne Disease Outbreaks: A Strategy To Expedite Identification of Contaminated Imported Produce, United States, 2006 to 2013

Journal of Food Protection ◽

10.4315/0362-028x.jfp-17-034 ◽

2017 ◽

Vol 80 (11) ◽

pp. 1821-1831 ◽

Cited By ~ 4

Author(s):

Cary Chen Parker ◽

Crystal McKenna ◽

Matthew Wise ◽

Christopher Gezon ◽

Karl C. Klontz

Keyword(s):

United States ◽

Disease Outbreaks ◽

Temporal Distribution ◽

The United States ◽

Foodborne Disease ◽

Monetary Value ◽

Targeted Sampling ◽

Foodborne Outbreaks ◽

Vegetables And Fruits ◽

Geospatial Mapping

ABSTRACT From 1998 to 2008, produce-related illness outbreaks accounted for roughly one-half of reported foodborne outbreaks in the United States. In 2013, Mexico accounted for approximately 50 and 30% of the monetary value of all vegetables and fruits, respectively, imported into the United States. We used historical import data to examine the correlation between the port of entry for five implicated produce vehicles from five multistate outbreaks and the geospatial and temporal distribution of illnesses in the corresponding outbreaks in the United States. For comparison, we analyzed the geospatial and temporal distribution of cases from two U.S. multistate outbreaks associated with domestically grown produce. The geospatial distribution of illnesses in the two outbreaks linked to domestic produce differed from that of the import-related produce outbreaks. The results of our pilot study suggest that geospatial distribution of early-onset cases may be used to identify ports of entry for produce likely to be responsible for causing multistate outbreaks in the United States and that targeted sampling of produce items from these ports of entry may expedite identification of an outbreak vehicle.

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Foodborne Disease Outbreaks in the United States: A Historical Overview

Foodborne Pathogens and Disease ◽

10.1089/fpd.2017.2388 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 15 (1) ◽

pp. 11-15 ◽

Cited By ~ 8

Author(s):

Timothy F. Jones ◽

Jane Yackley

Keyword(s):

United States ◽

Disease Outbreaks ◽

The United States ◽

Foodborne Disease ◽

Historical Overview

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Emergence of Salsa and Guacamole as Frequent Vehicles of Foodborne Disease Outbreaks in the United States, 1973–2008

Foodborne Pathogens and Disease ◽

10.1089/fpd.2012.1328 ◽

2013 ◽

Vol 10 (4) ◽

pp. 316-322 ◽

Cited By ~ 19

Author(s):

Magdalena E. Kendall ◽

Rajal K. Mody ◽

Barbara E. Mahon ◽

Michael P. Doyle ◽

Karen M. Herman ◽

...

Keyword(s):

United States ◽

Disease Outbreaks ◽

The United States ◽

Foodborne Disease

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Antimicrobial resistance in Salmonella that caused foodborne disease outbreaks: United States, 2003–2012

Epidemiology and Infection ◽

10.1017/s0950268816002867 ◽

2016 ◽

Vol 145 (4) ◽

pp. 766-774 ◽

Cited By ~ 12

Author(s):

A. C. BROWN ◽

J. E. GRASS ◽

L. C. RICHARDSON ◽

A. L. NISLER ◽

A. S. BICKNESE ◽

...

Keyword(s):

United States ◽

Antimicrobial Resistance ◽

Disease Outbreaks ◽

The United States ◽

Food Group ◽

Multidrug Resistant ◽

Antimicrobial Treatment ◽

Foodborne Disease ◽

Susceptibility Data ◽

Invasive Infections

SUMMARYAlthough most non-typhoidal Salmonella illnesses are self-limiting, antimicrobial treatment is critical for invasive infections. To describe resistance in Salmonella that caused foodborne outbreaks in the United States, we linked outbreaks submitted to the Foodborne Disease Outbreak Surveillance System to isolate susceptibility data in the National Antimicrobial Resistance Monitoring System. Resistant outbreaks were defined as those linked to one or more isolates with resistance to at least one antimicrobial drug. Multidrug resistant (MDR) outbreaks had at least one isolate resistant to three or more antimicrobial classes. Twenty-one per cent (37/176) of linked outbreaks were resistant. In outbreaks attributed to a single food group, 73% (16/22) of resistant outbreaks and 46% (31/68) of non-resistant outbreaks were attributed to foods from land animals (P < 0·05). MDR Salmonella with clinically important resistance caused 29% (14/48) of outbreaks from land animals and 8% (3/40) of outbreaks from plant products (P < 0·01). In our study, resistant Salmonella infections were more common in outbreaks attributed to foods from land animals than outbreaks from foods from plants or aquatic animals. Antimicrobial susceptibility data on isolates from foodborne Salmonella outbreaks can help determine which foods are associated with resistant infections.

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