A Not-So-Fun Top 10 List

Jeff Wells October 6th, 2009

With David Letterman busy cooking in his own sex-scandal stew, there’s a new Top Ten list that has people’s attention — and this one isn’t very funny.

The Center for Science in the Public Interest, the Washington, D.C.-based consumer watchdog group, has released a list of the ten foods most likely to make you sick. Drawing on reported illnesses and outbreaks between 1990 and 2006, the list includes foods regulated by the Food and Drug Administration — not all contamination risks (beef, ahem, which is regulated by the USDA), but still close to 80% of them.

The timing of this isn’t random. A new food safety bill aimed at expanding the FDA’s authority passed a House of Representatives vote in July and has made its way to the Senate, and the CSPI, along with other organizations, are pulling hard for it to pass.

So without further ado, here are the top ten riskiest foods regulated by the FDA (drum roll please, Paul).

10. Berries (25 outbreaks, 3,397 cases)

9. Sprouts (31 outbreaks, 2,022 cases)

8. Tomatoes (31 outbreaks, 3,292 cases)

7. Ice Cream (74 outbreaks, 2,594 cases)

6. Cheese (83 outbreaks, 2,761 cases)

5. Potatoes (108 outbreaks, 3,659 cases)

4. Oysters (132 outbreaks, 3,409 cases)

3. Tuna (268 outbreaks, 2,341 cases)

2. Eggs (352 outbreaks, 11.163 cases)

And the number one riskiest food regulated by the FDA is…leafy greens, with 363 outbreaks involving 13,568 reported illnesses.

Yeesh (fixes tie)… In all seriousness, what’s dismaying about this list is that it includes so many healthy foods that people need to eat, and often don’t get enough of. There are also a couple head-scratchers on there, like ice cream and potatoes. What in the world is going on in our back rooms and warehouses to where potatoes are contracting harmful bacteria?

If there’s a silver lining to this, it’s that the FDA under the Obama administration seems to be marching to a different beat. In just the past couple months, as we and others have written, the agency has taken progressive steps within its current limited mandate.

What really needs to happen, of course, is for the system to change. Retailers would do well to follow the vote on this new food safety bill, which would enhance the government’s ability to track down and monitor outbreaks, rather than relying on manufacturers to voluntarily pull contaminated products.

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Related Topics: FDA, Food Safety/Recalls, Wellness News

2 Comments to “A Not-So-Fun Top 10 List”

Ann Every Says:

October 7th, 2009 at 7:40 am

I have been concerned about foodborne outbreaks like everyone else - consumers and those in the food business alike. Especially concerning to me are outbreaks of bacteria & other pathogens that could possibly be sourced back to humans: namely workers handling or gathering food like spinach and other greens who may not have sufficient personal hygiene training nor sufficient facilities with hot water & soap to wash hands. Even if wearing gloves, if the gloves are not changed after a attending to personal hygiene, and the worker resumes the work of picking produce, the damage is done.

There are FDA regulations re how many toilet facilities are required per number of workers but I might wager that regulation is not being enforced enough.

Then there is the human contact on the food at the wholesale and retil levels to consider those employees personal hygiene effectiveness.

And finally, the consumer also has a responsibility to wash their hands before food shopping or just alip on a plastic produce bag over youy hand and choose your produce with that covered hand. I have been doing that for years after my visit to Italty - supermarket produce areas come supplied with plastic gloves for the consumer to put on while selecting fruits, vegetables and greens.

Some food retailers in NYC have installed hand sanitizer units at there stores but I believe that with the addition of plastic gloves for consumers to wear before picking up a fruit or vegetable to buy would help tremendously in stopping the spread of food borne illenesses that may occur at the retail/consumer level
Jeff Wells Says:

October 9th, 2009 at 9:45 am

You’re absolutely correct, Ann, that shoppers and retail workers have a responsibility to practice good hygiene in stores and in back rooms. But to address the larger issue here, I think you need to rewind further, to the fields, feed lots and warehouses where our food is produced. Harmful bacteria and pathogens like E. coli are making their way into what we eat, and it’s imperative that we first address how this is happening, and how to stop it. There’s been a lot of attention, for example, on our system of feedlots, which cram animals together and can be a breeding ground for outbreaks and harmful waste runoff. As long as unsanitary practices are taking place, it’s not fair to pawn the responsibility off on consumers. Practice good hygiene and cook what you eat, yes, but producers and regulators carry the larger burden here to make sure we get safe food from the start.