CSPI Finds Fish, Eggs Cause Most Illnesses

August 9, 2000

The consumer advocacy group Center for Science in the Public Interest finds seafood caused the most food borne illness outbreaks between January 1990 and this past July. The 52-page report shows seafood, including shellfish, caused 237 outbreaks, while eggs were linked to 170 outbreaks.

Beef was the meat product most likely to cause an outbreak. Of 91 outbreaks from beef, ground beef caused at least 40. Fruits and vegetables caused 82 outbreaks. Sprouts and lettuce were the most common culprits. Foods regulated by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) caused nearly four times as many outbreaks as foods regulated by USDA, the report claims.

"Contaminated seafood and eggs harbor a host of hazards for the unsuspecting consumer," said Caroline Smith DeWaal, director of food safety for CSPI. "Unfortunately, the government has done far too little to clean up those foods. Federal food-safety agencies should immediately begin laboratory testing for dangerous bacteria in seafood and eggs. In addition, government inspectors should monitor conditions in processing plants much more rigorously than they do today."

Ken Klippen, vice president of United Egg Producers, said, "The incidence of salmonella enteritidis in eggs is very very low -- one in 20,000 eggs, which is .005%. And the government and industry are working hand in hand to lower that incidence even further."

Also responding to the report, National Food Processors Association Vice President for Government Affairs and Communications Kelly Johnston said, "Education is the most effective tool we have to combat food poisoning."

The key to reducing illness is food safety education, he continued. The Center for Disease Control and Prevention's own data indicate that food obtained from an unsafe source is the least commonly reported factor in food poisoning outbreaks. Most food poisonings were in fact attributable to unsafe food handling and preparation practices, said Johnston.

CSPI said compiling outbreak information can help public health officials identify problems in the food supply more rapidly. For example, watermelon is the suspected cause of a current E. coli O157:H7 outbreak at two Sizzler restaurants in Wisconsin. While that E. coli strain generally contaminates beef products, CSPI’s "Outbreak Alert!" (the title of the report) identified previous outbreaks that were caused by fruits and vegetables. Contamination with E. coli can occur from improper use of manure as fertilizer, washing with contaminated water, or cross-contamination in a restaurant or home kitchen.

In its report, CSPI recommended that the Centers for Disease Control maintain a comprehensive inventory of outbreaks and serve as the national clearinghouse. CSPI also called on states to report all foodborne-illness outbreaks to the CDC. In addition, CSPI urged Congress to provide the federal food-safety agencies and state governments with the resources they need to reduce food-poisoning outbreaks to an absolute minimum.

Johnston noted that government, the food industry, and consumers all play an important role in keeping foods safe. He added, "This report refers to 'unsuspecting consumers.' All stakeholders in food safety -- including government, consumer organizations, and the food industry -- need to do more to provide basic food safety education for consumers."

The recently revised Dietary Guidelines for Americans includes, for the first time, a guideline on food safety, Johnston said. "NFPA strongly urged the inclusion of a food safety guideline, because we believe that it is unwise to address the topic of nutrition without noting the importance of food safety in a healthful diet."

He also that although the United States has one of the world's safest food supplies, "more can be done. In addition to consumer education, we believe that better information gathering will help government to target food safety activities toward those areas where they will have the greatest impact. And we wholeheartedly agree with CSPI that the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is a more appropriate source for information on food- poisoning outbreaks than CSPI."

BLOOMBERG NEWS reported that Food and Drug Administration Food Safety Director Susan Alpert said the agency plans egg testing regulations at the farm level by the end of this year to reduce salmonella, the most common bacteria in raw eggs. She also noted that there has been a 20% decline in food borne illnesses in seafood since an inspection program began in 1997.

In recent years, egg producers have widely implemented quality assurance programs, which normally include disinfection, rodent control and other anti-salmonella steps. A USDA report earlier this year showed that a large majority of the industry has adopted the programs.