Fish and produce are the imported foods associated with the most outbreaks of foodborne illness, say researchers who studied four decades of records. In a study published in the CDC journal, Emerging Infectious Diseases, the scientists say imports were cited for an average of three outbreaks a year during 1996-2000, or 1 percent of outbreaks, and an average of 18 outbreaks per year from 2009-14, or 5 percent.
“These findings are consistent with overall trends in food importation,” said the researchers. Imports have grown in importance to the U.S. food supply over the years. “The number of reported outbreaks associated with imported foods, although small, has increased as an absolute number and in proportion to the total number of outbreaks in which the implicated food was identified and reported.” Approaches to detection and tracking of foodborne illnesses have changed over the years so data from different periods “should be interpreted cautiously.”
“Many outbreaks, particularly outbreaks involving produce, were associated with foods imported from countries in Latin America and the Caribbean,” say the scientists. “Similarly, our finding that many outbreaks were associated with fish from Asia is consistent with data on the sources of fish imports.” About one-fifth of U.S. food is imported at present, including 97 percent of seafood, 50 percent of fresh fruit and 20 percent of fresh vegetables.
The 2011 Food Safety Modernization Act, which requires food companies to take steps to avoid contamination, “will help to strengthen the safety of imported foods by granting FDA enhanced authorities to require that imported foods meet the same safety standards as foods produced domestically,” said the study.