The United States has one of the safest food supplies in the world. Despite this, more than 48 million cases of foodborne illness are reported annually in the United States alone. This is equivalent to 1 in 6 Americans becoming sick each year. These illnesses result in more than 128,000 hospitalizations and 3,000 deaths in the United States (Food and Drug Administration [FDA], 2016b).
Globally, 1 in 10 people fall ill every year from eating contaminated food. As many as 420,000 individuals die as a result. Children under 5 years of age are particularly at risk, with more than 125,000 dying each year from foodborne illnesses. Africa and Southeast Asia have the highest incidences of foodborne diseases (World Health Organization [WHO], 2016).
According to the FDA, a food is considered contaminated (“adulterated”) if it contains the following (Lampel, Al-Khaldi, & Cahill, 2012):
- A poisonous or otherwise harmful substance that is not an inherently natural part of the food itself, in an amount that poses a reasonable possibility of injury to health; or
- A substance that is an inherent natural constituent of the food itself; is not the result of environmental, agricultural, industrial, or other contamination; and is present in an amount that ordinarily renders the food injurious to health.
Foodborne illnesses are infections or irritations of the gastrointestinal (GI) tract caused by food or beverages that contain harmful bacteria, parasites, viruses, or chemicals/toxins. The GI tract includes a series of hollow organs joined into a long, twisting tube from the mouth to the anus. Common symptoms of foodborne illnesses include vomiting, diarrhea, abdominal pain, fever, and chills. Most of these illnesses are acute (happen suddenly and last a short period of time), and most people recover without treatment. Rarely, foodborne illnesses may lead to serious complications, including death (National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases [NIDDK], 2014).