Chicken- and egg-related illnesses on the rise in U.S.
Will proposed Obama speedup of poultry processing cause more illness?
Foodborne illnesses caused by chicken and eggs are a growing problem in the United States, according to a new report covering a decade's worth of data.
The sickness rates could go higher, if concerns about a proposal by the USDA that would double the line speed in poultry-processing plants and allow poultry companies to conduct the inspections are validated.
Various food- and worker-safety advocates say faster speeds would endanger workers and increase the number of diseased chickens being allowed into the food system.
By shifting inspecting responsibilities to the poultry industry, the USDA says it will $90 million.
Plant owners are expected to see a $256 million yearly profit.
Other findings:
•The overall frequency of illnesses caused by the six most common foodborne diseases (Campylobacter, Listeria, Salmonella, Shiga toxin-producing E. coli (STEC) O157, Yersinia and Vibrio) was 23 percent lower in 2010 than in 1996-1998. However, a comparison of 2006-2008 to 2010 indicates that progress has slowed recently.
•Fourteen percent of the illnesses caused by the seven most common foodborne diseases are attributable to contact with animals.