Current CDC estimates suggest that contaminated food causes about 76 million incidents of foodborne illness, 325,000 hospitalizations, and 5000 deaths every year. However, the majority of the food-related illnesses, hospitalizations, and deaths are from unidentified sources. It is estimated that known pathogens account for 14 million illnesses; 60,000 hospitalizations; and about 1800 deaths. Greater than 75% of the foodborne illness deaths are attributed to three pathogens: Salmonella, Listeria, and Toxoplasma.
Richard J. Arsenault, 2010
