The proportion of all illnesses from E. coli O157:H7 attributable to meat likely have been reduced as demonstrated by a correlation between reductions in those organisms in FSIS product testing and illnesses reported by FoodNet. L. monocytogenes and Campylobacter are more difficult to characterize. The most recent data show no improvement for L. monocytogenesillnesses or findings of this pathogen in FSIS testing. FSIS testing for Campylobacter is too recent to be useful for correlation with illnesses, butCampylobacter sicknesses seem to be on the rise. Salmonella is a mess. FSIS desperately wants to claim the fraction of human salmonellosis from poultry is declining. But, I must respectfully disagree.
First, FSIS sampling of poultry for Salmonella has been called into question by USDA researchers. We discussed that problem in a blog last month. It’ll take a while to sort it out. Until then, we don’t know if we can correlate product testing with human illnesses. Second, if illnesses from poultry were really on the decrease that should show up in the FoodNet numbers. It doesn’t. The overall level of human salmonellosis hasn’t changed.