In the ever globalized food market the US consumer demand for accessible foreign food throughout the year has led researchers to study the effects this may have on food safety in the country.
In a recent report titled “Outbreaks of Disease Associated with Food Imported into the United States, 1996-2014,” in the March edition of Emerging Infectious Diseases, the researchers reported “a small but increasing number of food-borne disease outbreaks associated with imported foods, most commonly fish and produce.”
The researchers reported that 19 percent of food consumed by Americans is now imported. For fresh fruits that number is 50 percent and 20 percent for fresh vegetables.
They found the reported number of outbreaks associated with imported foods remains small, but has increased as both an absolute number and in proportion to the total number of outbreaks where the implicated food was identified and reported.
