Some studies, such as those produced by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), have pegged the cost of food-borne illnesses at around $7 billion annually. But researchers at the Produce Safety Project claim the USDA underestimated costs by only looking at five pathogens and not taking into account pain and suffering involved in each case.

 

The more accurate price for food-borne illnesses is $152 billion, according to the project’s report. Even if pain and suffering losses are not considered, the cost to society is $103 billion. Food poisoning from consuming bad produce alone is responsible for $39 billion in costs. The current report, by Ohio State assistant professor Robert L. Scharff, includes medical costs and quality-of-life costs such as pain and functional disability, as well as costs to society, such as payments made by insurance companies.

 

Figures provided by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention show there are 76

million cases of food poisoning each year, out of which 300,000 require hospitalization and 5,000 lead to death.

-Noel Brinkerhoff

 

Summary: Health-related Costs from Foodborne Illness in the United States (Produce Safety Project) (pdf)

Report: Health-related Costs from Foodborne Illness in the United States (Produce Safety Project) (pdf)