It is written on the blog Foodborne Illness that the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) estimates that 48 million foodborne illness cases occur in the United States every year. After eating contaminated food at least 128,000 Americans are hospitalized, and 3,000 die. In an article on Jan. 31, 2013, Science Daily reported, Which Foods Make Americans Ill? Whether Chicken or Salad, Food Safety at Home Is Key to Avoiding Illness.
It has been found in a new study analyzing outbreaks of foodborne illness that contaminated salad greens make the most people sick, but contaminated poultry has resulted in the most deaths. In view of this study by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the Home Food Safety program, which is a collaboration between the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics and ConAgra Foods, has encouraged people to practice safe food handling at home, rather than avoid certain foods. Registered dietitian and Academy Spokesperson Rachel Begun has said, "While this study found produce accounted for nearly half of food poisoning illnesses, everyone should still eat plenty of fruits and vegetables."
Begun has also said, "Safe food-handling procedures can help protect you from foodborne illnesses while still allowing you to enjoy these tasty and nutritious foods." Begun has gone on to elaborate on how to best avoid food poisoning, saying, "One of the most important things you can do to stay healthy is to wash your hands thoroughly for 20 seconds with soap and water, especially when it comes to the particularly nasty norovirus. The norovirus accounted for 46 percent of the illnesses according to this study, and while hand sanitizer is great to reduce the spread of some germs, research shows us that soap and water is best."
