Foodborne Outbreaks Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Foodborne Outbreaks - Essay Example Just about any food can become a threat if it has spoiled, however, the foods most commonly associated with leading to foodborne illness include fresh foods and dairy products, like eggs, fish, poultry, and condiments, like mayonnaise. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention explains that while there are many measures taken to prevent the possibility of causing an foodborne outbreaks, it is not always easy because the contamination can occur at any point in the food production chain, the fault could lie in the production, the processing, preparation, and distribution; which makes identifying the sources, scope, and efficient treatment incredibly difficult and important (2014). Foodborne outbreaks may seem uncommon, but are common enough to pose a serious health risk that costs the United States $77 billion per year to address the ,almost 130,000 of hospitalizations and 3,000 deaths caused yearly by foodborne illnesses (Nuzzo & et al, 2013). Determining the range and scope of an outbreak involves a number of factors, including, where and how the contamination occurred, how much was contaminated, where was it sent, and how many people have been in contact with or consumed it. However, the most essential step and greatest challenge is identifying which of the millions of possible culprits is responsible for the outbreak. The majority of foodborne illness outbreaks is an important issue for a number of governmental agencies that work to make certain that the food that is provided, sold, and consumed by the public is safe (The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2014). Most outbreaks can be controlled by the local and state health agencies, however, larger outbreaks will include multiple agencies working together . (The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2014). The three federal agencies most closely involved in the occurrences of foodborne outbreaks are the CDC. FDA, and the USDA. The first, again, is the Centers for Disease