ABSTRACT
Of the many different causes of foodborne diseases, bacteria are by far the most common. About half of all cases of diarrhea in the U.S. are of foodborne origin, and, according to the CDC, microbial diseases are on the rise. The reasons for the increase in foodborne illnesses are as follows. (1) There are better epidemiological capacities and better means to report cases, as well as better means to detect and identify foodborne illnesses. (2) Over the last few decades, people have made significant changes in their lifestyle and food consumption. They eat out more often, travel more, and choose exotic foods more often. Vegetables and fruits come from different countries, which sometimes have different sanitation standards and different strains of microbes. As a working society, we have gotten further away from food preparation and as such there is less emphasis on teaching about food preparation. At present, school curriculums rarely contain safety instructions for preparing food, i.e., home economics classes. People consume more meals in restaurants, where food passes through many hands, thereby increasing the chances of food contamination due to improper handling. Also, consumers’ demand for natural or organic foods has resulted in more unpasteurized food production. (3) Food distribution is more global, which has increased the possibility of problems becoming more far-reaching. With larger operations, one mistake in food preparation can affect large numbers of people. Large production can increase the potential for cross-contamination. (4) Microorganisms are developing resistance to antibiotics. Overuse of antibiotics has increased the incidence and decreased the ability to treat microbial diseases.
