Overview
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Foodborne illnesses are caused by ingesting bacteria, fungi,
parasites, viruses, toxins, or other harmful substances in
contaminated food. Knowing the costs of foodborne illness helps
policymakers rank risks, focus policy, and prioritize spending.
Some of the first economic estimates of the costs of foodborne
illness were provided by ERS.
ERS researchers:
- conduct economic analyses of the benefits of improved
food safety,
- refine estimation methodologies, and
- provide updated estimates of the costs of illness for
selected foodborne pathogens.