U.K. Study On Foodborne Pathogens Closely Mirrors CDC Findings

By Laurel Maloy, contributing writer, Food Online

Food safety is a global issue that may require resources across the globe in order to design a more efficient and effective means of prevention 

The U.K.’s Food Standards Agency (FSA) recently ordered an updated study to determine the most prolific foodborne illnesses and to identify the most common sources. The FSA points out that the findings are significant, especially if taking into consideration the large number of unreported cases of food poisoning. Most people experiencing vomiting and diarrhea over a period of a few days, unless it is extremely severe, will not seek medical attention. Furthermore, many physicians will not test for specific pathogens when treating possible food poisoning or a “24-hour bug.” Those most at risk are the very young and very old, or those with an already compromised immune system; these are the patients most frequently tested for specific pathogens.

The research identified about half a million cases attributed to a list of 13 specific pathogens; however, the number is probably much higher. The FSA estimates if testing were more diligently completed on the 10 million cases of intestinal disease treated in the U.K., the figures would be in excess of one million cases annually.

The study also finds, not surprisingly, that poultry is the number one source for foodborne pathogens, especially Salmonella. Foodborne illnesses are traced back to poultry in an estimated 244,000 cases in the U.K., though the biggest offending pathogen is Campylobacter, not Salmonella. More findings from the FSA study:

• Salmonella is the pathogen that results in the most hospitalizations. In this study, that number was estimated to be about 2,500 patients admitted every year
• Campylobacter is the top contender for the most prolific foodborne pathogen. It is attributed to about 280,000 cases of foodborne illness in the U.K. each year
• Clostridium perfingens causes about 80,000 illnesses
• Norovirus comes in third with an estimated 74,000 cases
• After poultry, the list of offending foods includes fruits, nuts, seeds, and vegetables (an estimated 48,000 patients)
• Finally, beef and lamb land an estimated 43,000 foodborne illness instances annually

How Is FSMA Impacting Food Manufacturing?

We have only to look at the most recent large-scale outbreaks to realize incidents of foodborne pathogens in the U.S. closely mirror what the U.K. has found. Currently, Foster Farms is under fire, its raw poultry testing positive for antibiotic-resistant Salmonella Heidelberg, with cases still being linked back to the original outbreak more than a year ago. Foster Farms’ refusal to issue a recall and language limiting the regulatory authority of FSIS and the FDA has come to light. This has prompted the introduction of legislation in order to provide these agencies with the authority to force a recall when the offender will not do so voluntarily. We’ve also recently seen large-scale recalls from Tyson chicken nuggets, while ConAgra peanut butter is still in the news after seven years.  

The implications of the U.K. study, combined with findings in the U.S. are obvious. This is a global problem, not just a local issue. I also have to wonder why E. coli did not present as one of the top pathogens in the U.K. study, as it is definitely a big deal here in the U.S. Is the U.K. doing something that domestic processors aren’t to prevent the spread of E. coli? It may bear investigating. The world may benefit greatly from resource sharing, combined funding, and the old adage that “two heads are better than one” when it comes to food and the public’s safety.