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New estimates put price of US foodborne disease at $15.6 billion per year
October 9, 2014
Costs associated with foodborne illnesses in the United States total more than $15.6 billion annually, according to a data product released Oct 7 by the US Department of Agriculture's (USDA's) Economic Research Service containing updated estimates.
The pathogen associated with the greatest cost is Salmonella, accounting for $3.7 billion each year. Next in order are Toxopasma gondii at $3.3 billion and Listeria at $2.8 billion.
The total cost is based on estimates for illness caused by the 15 pathogens responsible for more than 95% of foodborne illness in the country, explains a USDA overview. Specifically, the estimates "build on [Centers for Disease Control and Prevention] estimates of the incidence of foodborne disease; peer-reviewed synthesis of data on medical costs, and economic, medical and epidemiological literature; and publicly available data on wages," it says.
Excel files for each of the pathogens contain spreadsheets giving estimated low, mean, and high costs of the illness in question; assumptions used in estimating costs for that pathogen; disease outcomes and associated costs; technical notes and documentation; and relevant research and publications.
A story today in Food Safety News (FSN) says the data help inform food safety policy discussions and provide a foundation for economic analysis of food safety policy. The FSN story also points out that economic costs are only part of the story, with costs to industry and to tax payers also considerable.
Oct 7 USDA overview on the estimates with links to spreadsheets
Oct 9 FSN story
October 9, 2014
Costs associated with foodborne illnesses in the United States total more than $15.6 billion annually, according to a data product released Oct 7 by the US Department of Agriculture's (USDA's) Economic Research Service containing updated estimates.
The pathogen associated with the greatest cost is Salmonella, accounting for $3.7 billion each year. Next in order are Toxopasma gondii at $3.3 billion and Listeria at $2.8 billion.
The total cost is based on estimates for illness caused by the 15 pathogens responsible for more than 95% of foodborne illness in the country, explains a USDA overview. Specifically, the estimates "build on [Centers for Disease Control and Prevention] estimates of the incidence of foodborne disease; peer-reviewed synthesis of data on medical costs, and economic, medical and epidemiological literature; and publicly available data on wages," it says.
Excel files for each of the pathogens contain spreadsheets giving estimated low, mean, and high costs of the illness in question; assumptions used in estimating costs for that pathogen; disease outcomes and associated costs; technical notes and documentation; and relevant research and publications.
A story today in Food Safety News (FSN) says the data help inform food safety policy discussions and provide a foundation for economic analysis of food safety policy. The FSN story also points out that economic costs are only part of the story, with costs to industry and to tax payers also considerable.
Oct 7 USDA overview on the estimates with links to spreadsheets
Oct 9 FSN story