Food poisoning – report shows it is a bigger problem than anticipated

Recent figures show that the problem of food poisoning is far worse than official data may suggest with many people not seeking help from their GP and only the most serious cases being reported.

The study has found that there are around half a million cases of food poisoning each year, however this is only half the story. This only takes into account food poisoning caused by 13 identified pathogens, if unknown pathogens were taken into account the number of cases could double. Current figures similarly do not take into account the vast amount of cases which go unreported or untreated.

Campylobacter was found to be the most common foodborne pathogen with over a quarter of a million cases each year (equivalent to entire population of Newcastle) . Professor Sarah O’Brien, the study’s main researcher said: ‘These findings confirm that the FSA is right to put campylobacter at the top of its priority list. It is the biggest food safety problem we have and more needs to be done to tackle it.’

Poultry meat was the food found to be linked to the most cases of food poisoning. However, the study also found that surprisingly produce including vegetables, fruits, nuts and seeds were the second highest cause, even above beef and lamb. These figures therefore highlight some important truths about how much more needs to be done to tackle the problem of foodborne disease in the UK.

Abacus Guardian help companies to ensure that the temperatures of their freezers and refrigeration equipment are safe by offering 24 hour monitoring.  The system sends a text message if temperatures rise to unsafe levels – indicating a malfunction of the equipment. To find out how you can help ensure that your chilled and frozen goods are stored safely, and correctly, contact Abacus Guardian on 01582 52 80 82 today.