ABSTRACT
Foodborne diseases caused by foodborne pathogens have been a serious threat to public health and food safety for decades and remain one of the major concerns of our society. Today, more than 250 different foodborne diseases have been described. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) estimate that 76 million foodborne illness cases occur in the United States every year, accounting for 325,000 hospitalizations and more than 5000 deaths (Mead et al. 1999). Pathogenic bacteria are the most common foodborne pathogens, accounting for 91% of the total outbreaks of foodborne illness in the United States (Beran et al. 1991; Potter et al. 2007). The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Economic Research Service (ERS) estimates that the annual cost of ‘ve foodborne illnesses caused by Camploybacter, Salmonella, Escherichia coli O157:H7, Listeria monocytogenes, and Toxoplasma gondii is about $6.9 billion in medical costs, lost productivity, and premature deaths (USDA/ERS 2002).
