Over the course of the last 18 months, the incidence of foodborne illness in the United States has decreased significantly from the previous three years. Indeed, since COVID-19 arrived and began to spread in the U.S., it appears that fewer consumers are getting sick from the foods they eat. In 2020, when compared against the numbers of in illnesses between 2017 and 2019 from pathogens transmitted commonly through food, CDC reports a 25% reduction. Click here for a copy of the September 24, 2021 CDC report.

This is great news for insurance companies which insure food companies. And, this could be even greater great news for the food companies if, in fact, industry efforts directed toward in improving food safety have led to this decrease in reported illnesses.

Tellingly, during this same period, we saw overall decrease in food product recalls by 38%. Recalls triggered for the presence of pathogens during this same period also decreased by an astonishing 57%. Those are significant and impressive declines in virtually all categories that matter to food safety.

Some might argue that the notable success being felt by the food industry is the result of heightened awareness within food manufacturing facilities for personal hygiene, overall cleanliness and improved sanitary practices, all of which decrease the opportunities for the spread of contamination. Others might argue that the decreases can be explained by governmental stay-at-home orders, restaurant closures and similar community-oriented limitations.

CDC also posits, without making any conclusions, that the reductions in the reported incidents of foodborne illness might also be attributable to drastic changes in the way individuals approached healthcare in 2020. According to CDC, observed changes in health care-seeking behaviors included a broader use of telehealth interaction and decreases in emergency department visits for abdominal pain and other digestive or abdominal signs. Thus, many sick individuals may have declined to seek in-person medical care or visit the emergency room for fear of contracting COVID-19. If so, there may have been many foodborne illness cases which simply avoided detection.

With that said, the decreases in emergency room visits for abdominal pain and other digestive issues could be attributable to an actual decrease in abdominal pain and digestive issues. Simple logic teaches that if there are fewer foodborne illness, there will be fewer visits to healthcare providers. Additionally, CDC’s alternative theories do not align an overall 57% reduction in 2020 (compared against the previous three years) of recalls of food products caused by the presence of pathogens.

Whatever the cause, and I believe there are many, the recent decrease in reported foodborne illness is good news. Hopefully, as we move toward 2020, as more restaurants begin to open (ideally to full capacity), and as health-care related behaviors begin to normalize, we will see whether these positive trends continue.

In the meantime, I give credit to the food industry for successfully managing COVID-19, but also continuing to supply us all with safe and wholesome products.

Where did all the foodborne illness go?

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