Disease outbreaks from imported foods on the rise, CDC reports

[xchrom]

http://www.latimes.com/business/money/la-fi-mo-foodborne-illnesses-up-20120314,0,7604600.story?track=rss


Instances of food-borne illnesses from imported edibles such as fish may be on the rise, the CDC reports. (EPA)

Food-borne illnesses caused by fish, spices, produce and other edibles imported from other countries seems to be on the rise – but the countries of origin may be changing, according to a new report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Of the 39 outbreaks caused by foreign food (which caused 2,348 illnesses) from 2005 to 2010, 17 of them happened in 2009 and 2010, according to the report. Bad fish caused 17 outbreaks; spices were responsible for six.

Though nearly 45% of the cases came from food that had originated in Asia, the report found that nearly half of the outbreaks came from areas that hadn’t previously been associated with such diseases.

The true extent of the outbreaks is probably much more expansive than reported, according to the CDC.

[otohara]

1. Kick

[OffWithTheirHeads]

2. But we need less regulation to create jobs!

[Lifelong Protester]

3. Anectdotaly, I think this is true

A lot of people think they have the "stomach flu" when really, I think food poisening (or at least becoming sick from tainted food) is on the rise. I think we get a touch of food poisening more often than we'd like to think.

[kestrel91316]

4. This is why food inspection and safety needs to be privatized.

[Quantess]

5. K & R