Leafy Vegetables Top Food Poisoning List

A new government research study puts leafy green vegetables at the top of a list of possible sources of food poisoning.

According to federal data from 2011, almost 48 million people are sickened by food poisoning in the U.S. each year including 128,000 hospitalizations and 3,000 fatalities.

The Associated Press (AP) reports that the study from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) found that about 20 percent of all food-related illnesses were linked to leafy green vegetables. With the addition of illnesses from other fruits and vegetables, nearly half of all food poisonings could be attributed to fresh produce.

The CDC study analyzed data from food poisoning outbreaks for the period from 1998 to 2008.

According to the findings, even though food poisoning from leafy vegetables led the list, it was poultry that caused more serious illnesses. The report also shows that the largest proportion of deaths due to foodborne illness—about 1 in 5—were due to poultry, writes the AP.

The CDC data shows an estimated 277 poultry-related deaths in 1998-2008, compared to 236 vegetable-related deaths. Contamination in fruits and nuts caused 96 deaths, which brings the number of total deaths from produce of all types to 334. The CDC estimates show 417 deaths from all kinds of meat and poultry, as well as 140 from dairy and 71 from eggs during the same period.

Recently, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) released a proposed rule for product safety that would implement better hygiene standards at farms, reports AP.

If you or a loved one has been harmed by an unsafe food product, contact Sokolove Law today for a free legal consultation and to find out if a product liability lawyer may be able to help you.

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