U.S. Food Safety Improving, Says CDC

Common Food Infections Are Down Important progress has been made in food safety, but there's still room for improvement, the U.S. government announced today. Infections from common bacteria often transmitted by contaminated food have dropped over the last few years, according to the CDC( Center for Disease Control ) . Here are the decreases from 1996-1998 to 2004: ◇　E. coli 0157: Down 42% ◇　Campylobacter: Down 31% ◇　Cryptosporidium: Down 40% ◇　Listeria: Down 40% ◇　Yersinia: Down 45% ◇　Salmonella: Down 8% The numbers come from FoodNet, a group of sites in 10 states that monitor the infections. The data don't single out food infections; these bacteria are typically transmitted through foods, but some can also be spread in other ways (such as through open wounds). For the first time, E. coli 0157 infections have dropped below one case per 100,000 people -- the government's goal for the year 2010. This strain of E. coli has been linked to several serious outbreaks in the past, including infections linked to contaminated beef as well as water parks (contaminated with feces from young children). In rare cases it can cause severe infection that leads to kidney failure. The decline is probably due in large part to improved production and handling of ground beef, say experts from the CDC, the USDA, and the FDA. "We are very glad to see the sustained decline in E. coli 0157," says Robert Tauxe, MD, MPH, chief of the CDC's foodborne and diarrheal diseases branch, in a news conference. "We anticipate that more progress is possible." http://my.webmd.com/