As evidenced by the E. coli outbreak in Europe earlier this
year, which claimed dozens of lives and sickened thousands more,
bacterial contamination of foods remains a significant problem.
This outbreak clearly demonstrated that, despite recent
improvements in technologies to detect and trace foodborne
outbreaks, it will take continual advances in knowledge and
techniques to prevent future epidemics. Each year, roughly one
out of six Americans, or 48 million people, contract foodborne
illnesses, according to estimates from the United States Centers
for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). The economic impact of
foodborne illness is staggering, with a recent report from the
University of Florida’s Emerging Pathogens Institute concluding
that five leading pathogens —Campylobacter, Salmonella, Listeria
monocytogenes, Toxoplasma gondii and norovirus — cost the nation
$12.7 billion annually. But while it may seem like we’re
experiencing more outbreaks than in the past, this perception
merely stems from improved d