A new analysis from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has identified patterns in foodborne illness outbreaks that continue to affect thousands of Americans annually. The study examined data from the National Outbreak Reporting System (NORS) spanning 2014 to 2022, revealing important trends in contamination sources and food handling practices.
The United States experiences approximately 800 foodborne illness outbreaks each year, resulting in around 15,000 illnesses, 800 hospitalizations, and 20 deaths. While these outbreaks represent only a portion of total foodborne illnesses, they provide valuable insights into food safety challenges.
CDC researchers analyzed 2,677 outbreaks where investigators identified specific contributing factors. These factors were categorized into three main groups: contamination (pathogens introduced into food), proliferation (conditions allowing bacterial growth), and survival (failures in cooking or processing).
The most common cause of outbreaks was pre-kitchen contamination, where food already contained pathogens before preparation. This type of contamination, typically occurring at farms, processing facilities, or during distribution—increased steadily from 22% to over 32% between 2014 and 2022. High-risk items included leafy greens, raw milk, and seafood.
For viral outbreaks, particularly those involving norovirus, infected food workers played a significant role. From 2014 to 2019, nearly half of all viral outbreaks were linked to sick food handlers. However, this figure dropped notably during the COVID-19 pandemic period (2020-2022), likely due to enhanced safety protocols implemented in response to the pandemic.
These pandemic-era measures included increased glove use, enhanced handwashing practices, stricter worker exclusion policies, and temporary dining room closures. Interestingly, even with increased glove usage, gloved hands emerged as the top viral contamination source during the pandemic period, highlighting that gloves alone cannot replace proper hygiene practices.
For bacterial outbreaks, improper temperature control remained the primary culprit across all time periods. Specific issues included allowing food to remain at unsafe temperatures during preparation or service, inadequate heating during cooking, and poor cooling practices for leftovers.
The CDC recommends a comprehensive approach to prevent future outbreaks. Restaurants and food service establishments should follow FDA Food Code guidelines and implement Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point (HACCP) plans. Managers should adopt clear sick-leave policies and address barriers that prevent ill workers from staying home. Health departments can strengthen inspection protocols and provide ongoing training to detect risks like improper cooling or cross-contamination.
Common symptoms of foodborne illness include nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, stomach cramps, and sometimes fever. These symptoms typically appear within hours to days after consuming contaminated food.
The study suggests that while knowledge about preventing foodborne illness exists, implementation challenges remain. These include staffing shortages, equipment limitations, economic pressures, and enforcement gaps that allow safety failures to persist despite known prevention strategies.
Commenting on this article, the nation’s leading food poisoning lawyer said, “The pandemic’s impact on reducing illness from sick food handlers shows that proper policies work when properly enforced. Employers who cut corners on sick leave aren’t just risking their workers’ health, they’re creating legal liability for themselves.”
