What are the most common Food Borne Diseases?

Foodborne diseases are a big problem, and they’re on the rise.

The CDC estimates that one in six people get sick from food poisoning every year. That’s around 48 million people! And according to the CDC, there are more than 250 different types of food poisoning, including E. coli, salmonella and norovirus.

Foodborne disease is the leading cause of death in the United States. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates that each year, one in six Americans becomes sick from foodborne illnesses.

Foodborne Diseases

The most common foodborne diseases include: Campylobacter jejuni – This bacterium causes abdominal pain, diarrhoea, fever and nausea.

Salmonella:

Salmonella is most commonly found in raw or undercooked eggs and poultry products such as chicken livers or ground turkey. It can also be found in unpasteurized milk and milk products such as cheese or ice cream as well as raw shellfish like clams or oysters.

E. coli O157:H7:

This strain of E. coli can cause abdominal cramps, bloody diarrhoea (which may be bloody even if you don’t have other symptoms), fever, nausea and vomiting which can last up to eight days after consuming contaminated food or water (or other sources).

Listeria monocytogenes:

Listeria monocytogenes can cause miscarriage in pregnant women who contract it by eating contaminated foods.

Toxoplasmosis:

This disease is caused by a parasite called Toxoplasma gondii, which lives in the intestines of cats (and other animals), but it can spread to humans who eat undercooked meat or ingest anything contaminated with cat faeces (such as unwashed vegetables).

Campylobacteriosis (infection with Campylobacter bacteria) :

Campylobacter bacteria are found in raw or undercooked poultry, unpasteurized milk and dairy products, and water that has been contaminated with animals faeces.

How do avoid these common foodborne illnesses?

And while it’s important to know what foods have been linked to outbreaks, it’s also important to know which types of foods are most likely to cause an outbreak so you can avoid them.

But you don’t have to live your life that way! We’ve compiled this handy guide for avoiding these common foodborne illnesses:

1. Stay away from meat with blood on it.

2. Don’t eat raw or undercooked eggs or poultry.

3. Avoid high-fat dairy products like butter or cream cheese.

4. Wash produce thoroughly before consumption or prepare it yourself at home so you can control how clean it is when you serve it up!