Approximately 76 million Americans get ill from food poisoning each year and 5,100 die as a result. Although the US food supply remains one of the safest in the world, retail food suppliers need more training and education since most food poisoning cases are caught in restaurants. Scientists have traced 12 million food-related illnesses to specific organisms, such as bacteria, viruses, and parasites.
Unknown microbes cause the remainder.
Salmonella, listeria, and toxoplasma are three germs involved in about 1,500 food-related deaths each year. This is positive in the sense that viral food-acquired viruses tend to be less serious than bacterial illnesses. New advances, such as the FoodNet and Pulsenet microbe monitoring and typing programs, have improved the process of reporting and tracking cases of food poisoning. However, food safety begins at home by following simple steps when preparing and handling food at home. Cook meats completely, leaving no pink in ground beef, and keep raw ingredients away from cooked foods and kitchen gear.