1. 1 Foodborne Illness An Age Old Problem Requiring Contemporary Solutions

2. 2 Outline  Status/trends in foodborne illness  What is food irradiation?  Irradiation effect on microorganisms  Barriers to use/solutions  Estimated benefits  Conclusions

3. 3 Status/Trends in Foodborne Illness

4. 4 Estimates of Annual Disease Burden/Cost (USA)  76 million illnesses  5 thousand deaths  $7 billion in healthcare costs Mead PS, Slutsker L, Dietz V, McCaig LF, Bresee JS, Shapiro C, Griffin PM, Tauxe RV. Food-Related Illness and Death in the United States. Emerg Infect Dis. 1999 Sep-Oct;5(5):607-25

5. Estimated Disease Burden by Agent- 2009 CDC. Preliminary FoodNet Data on the Incidence of Infection with Pathogens Transmitted Commonly Through Food---10 States, 2009. MMWR. 2010;59:418-422

6. 6 Estimated Average Disease Incidence by Age-2009 CDC. Preliminary FoodNet Data on the Incidence of Infection with Pathogens Transmitted Commonly Through Food---10 States, 2009. MMWR. 2010;59:418-422

7. 7 Additional Summary Information  ≥50 yo Highest Overall Hospitalization Rate  Highest rate by agent – STEC O157 59.4% Highest Overall Case Fatality Rate (CFR)  Highest rate by agent - Listeria at 17.5% CDC. Preliminary FoodNet Data on the Incidence of Infection with Pathogens Transmitted Commonly Through Food---10 States, 2009. MMWR. 2010;59:418-422

8. 8 Foodborne Disease Outbreaks  Etiology confirmed in 49% Of those  Norovirus – 54%  Salmonella – 18%  11 Multistate outbreaks 10 from bacteria  11 Reported deaths 10 from bacteria Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Surveillance for Foodborne Disease Outbreaks – United States, 2006. MMWR. 2009;58(22):609-15

9. 9 Foodborne Illness Trends  1996-1998 compared to 2009 Reduction  Shigella, Yersinia, STEC O157, Campylobacter, Listeria, and Salmonella Increase  Vibrio  2006-2008 compared to 2009 Significant reduction in Shigella and STEC O157 CDC. Preliminary FoodNet Data on the Incidence of Infection with Pathogens Transmitted Commonly Through Food---10 States, 2009. MMWR. 2010;59:418-422

10. 10 What is Food Irradiation?

11. 11 What is Food Irradiation?  Exposure of food to ionizing radiation to Reduce microbial loads Destroy pathogens Extend shelf life Disinfestation produce Smith JS, Pillai S. Institute of Food Technologists' Expert Panel on Food Safety and Nutrition. Scientific Status Summary, Irradiation and Food Safety. Food Technology 2004;58(11):48-55.

12. 12 What is Food Irradiation?  Sources of irradiation Cobalt 60 Cesium 137 Accelerated electrons X-rays U.S. Food and Drug Administration. Irradiation in the Production, Processing and Handling of Food. Federal Register.1997 Dec 3;62(232):64107-21.

13. 13 Irradiation Effect on Microorganisms

14. 14 Damage to DNA & cell structure  Direct Breaking DNA bonds  Indirect Irradiation of water molecules  Free radicals  Hydrogen peroxide Thayer DW. Irradiation of Food-Helping to Ensure Food Safety. N Engl J Med. 2004; 350(18):1811-2. Lewis SJ, Velasquez A, Cuppett SL, McKee SR. Effect of Electron Beam Irradiation on Poultry Meat Safety and Quality. Poultry Science. 2002;81:896-903.

15. 15 Barriers to Use/Solutions

16. 16 Barriers to Use - Opponents  Among issues raised by opponents Unique radiolytic product Degradation of nutrients Mutagenic potential Negative sensory changes Andress E, Delaplane K, Schuler G. Food Irradiation. Athens, GA: University of Georgia, Cooperative Extension Service.1998. Rao CV. Do Irradiated Foods Cause or Promote Colon Cancer? Nutrition and Cancer. 2003;44(2):107-9.

17. 17 Solutions - Answering Opponents Concerns  FDA approval Criteria assessed  Nutritional adequacy  Toxicological hazard  Microbiological hazard U.S. Food and Drug Administration. Irradiation in the Production, Processing and Handling of Food. Federal Register.1997 Dec 3;62(232):64107-21.

18. 18 Solutions - Answering Opponents Concerns  FDA approval Nutritional adequacy  Reduction of some vitamins  Macronutrients conserved  Minerals unaffected  Overall – no adverse impact on diet as a whole U.S. Food and Drug Administration. Irradiation in the Production, Processing and Handling of Food. Federal Register.1997 Dec 3;62(232):64107-21.

19. 19 Solutions - Answering Opponents Concerns  FDA approval Toxicological hazard  WHO data considered  Repeated review of available data  Finding of no toxicological hazard Included mutagenic potential Included teratogenic potential U.S. Food and Drug Administration. Irradiation in the Production, Processing and Handling of Food. Federal Register.1997 Dec 3;62(232):64107-21.

20. 20 Solutions - Answering Opponents Concerns  FDA approval Microbiological hazard  Special emphasis on Clostridium botulinum  Spoilage organisms compete with pathogens Food obviously “spoiled” before risk  Finding of no microbiological hazard U.S. Food and Drug Administration. Irradiation in the Production, Processing and Handling of Food. Federal Register.1997 Dec 3;62(232):64107-21.

21. 21 Solutions - Answering Opponents Concerns  Controlling Unwanted Effects Unwanted Effect  Vitamin losses  Off flavors, odors  Chemical changes Control for all  Use lowest effective dose  Low Oxygen environment  Maintain low product temperatures U.S. Food and Drug Administration. Irradiation in the Production, Processing and Handling of Food. Federal Register.1997 Dec 3;62(232):64107-21.

22. 22 Barriers to Use – Lack of Consumer Demand  Influence by opponents Opponents very vocal and messages are alarming  Irradiation minimally utilized Industry awaits consumer demand  Investment (e.g. facilities, promotion) Andress E, Delaplane K, Schuler G. Food Irradiation. Athens, GA: University of Georgia, Cooperative Extension Service.1998.

23. 23 Solutions - Increasing Consumer Demand  Education Frequent messages Credible and trustworthy sources Broad range of media/outreach Food Safety and Inspection Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture. The Food Safety Educator. 1996;1(3). Brady JT, Li P, Brown D. Consumer Perception of Food-Borne Illness Risks Before and After the 2006 E.Coli Events. Family and Consumer Sciences Research Journal. 2009;37(4):456-65. Reicks J, Bosch A, Herman M, Krinke UB. Effectiveness of a Food Safety Teaching Strategy Promoting Critical Thinking. Journal of Nutritional Education. 1994;26:97-100.

24. 24 Solutions - Increasing Consumer Demand  Education Blend of technical and social process approaches Opportunity to try product Sapp, SG. A Comparison of Alternative Theoretical Explanations of Consumer Food Safety Assessments. International Journal of Consumer Studies. 2003; 27(1):34-9. Cardello AV. Consumer Concerns and Expectations about Novel Food Processing Technologies: Effects on Product Liking. Appetite. 2003;40:217-33.

25. 25 Estimated Benefits

26. 26 Estimated Benefit  Assumption 50% of poultry, ground beef, pork, and processed meat irradiated 50% of foodborne illness due to E. coli O157, Campylobacter, Salmonella, Listeria, and Toxoplasmosis Tauxe RV. Food Safety and Irradiation: Protecting the Public from Foodborne Infections. Emerg Infect Dis.2001 June;7(3):516-21.

27. 27 Estimated Benefit  Annually 900,000 fewer cases 8,500 fewer hospitalizations 350 fewer deaths Tauxe RV. Food Safety and Irradiation: Protecting the Public from Foodborne Infections. Emerg Infect Dis.2001 June;7(3):516-21.

28. 28 Conclusions  Progress in reducing foodborne illness has reach a plateau  Intervention throughout continuum  Irradiation is long tested and underutilized  On balance…benefits far outweigh risk  Consumer demand is imperative