Vegetables Biggest Culprit in Foodbourne Illnesses

Who would have pegged leafy greens as the culprit for making the most people sick?

According to a study released last Tuesday by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, lettuce and other vegetables were found to be the largest source of foodbourne contamination in the U.S., representing 23 percent of the 9.6 million cases of foodbourne illness each year.

Produce foods, including vegetables, fruits and nuts, cause 4.4 million people a year to become ill, according to the study. And while this is a greater number than the 2.1 million illnesses caused by contaminated beef, pork, poultry and other meat, the pathogens found on meat are generally more deadly, resulting in 19 percent of food-related deaths, according to the CDC. This was based on a study analyzed from foodbourne disease outbreaks for 11 years from 1998 through 2008 to calculate an annual rate.

According to a recent article from The Wall Street Journal, more than 130 illnesses were linked to a salmonella outbreak caused by contaminated ground turkey in 2011. Cargill Inc. recalled 36 million pounds of ground turkey on Aug. 3, 2011, in response to the outbreak.

Since then, the outbreak and other recent problems has prompted the U.S. Department of Agriculture to announce a plan in December to increase testing for salmonella at poultry processing plants.

However, as mentioned previously, herbivores still have to worry just as much as meat eaters. A listeria outbreak in cantalouples killed 33 people in 2011, according to reports. And though most food-related issues are relatively minor and unreported, it doesn't mean you shouldn't check your food. Afterall, you never know.