A new report tracking foodborne illnesses across 10 U.S. sites reveals a concerning shift: infections from common foodborne pathogens were higher in 2022 compared to the years just before the pandemic. The data comes from the Foodborne Diseases Active Surveillance Network, which monitors trends in illnesses caused by germs like Salmonella and E. coli that are often spread through food. The report doesn't tell us how many more people got sick, what specific germs were involved, or why the numbers went up. It also doesn't cover the whole country. What it does show is a clear signal that, after a period of lower reported illness, the trend has reversed. This isn't about a single outbreak, but a broader pattern that suggests our collective guard on food safety might need strengthening.
Are foodborne infections rising? New data shows a concerning trend.
Photo by National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases / Unsplash
What this means for you:
Foodborne illness infections were higher in 2022 than before the pandemic.