Dec 15 (Reuters) - Contaminated food kills 3,000 Americans every year and makes 48 million sick, federal health officials reported on Wednesday. [ID:nN15142622]
The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention released new estimates for foodborne illness that found norovirus is by far the most common disease-causing germ, accounting for 5.5 million infections a year, or 58 percent of diagnosed illnesses.
Here are some facts about recent high-profile outbreaks of foodborne disease in the United States:
* More than half a billion eggs were recalled beginning in August after Salmonella sickened more than 1,000 people -- the largest egg recall in U.S. history.
* In January, Daniele International Inc of Mapleville, Rhode Island, recalled 1.26 million pounds of sausage and salami products after a multi-state outbreak of Salmonella. The company recalled another 115,000 pounds of salami and salami products in February due to possible Salmonella contamination.
* Nearly 826,000 pounds (375,000 kg) of ground beef was recalled in 12 states in August 2009 after at least 27 people, most in Colorado, were sickened by Salmonella.
* Setton Pistachio, the second-largest pistachio processor in the United States, issued a nationwide recall of pistachios in March 2009 after Kraft Foods Inc <KFT.N> told U.S. health regulators that its Back To Nature trail mix was contaminated with Salmonella and identified Setton as the source.
* A Salmonella outbreak linked to products shipped from Peanut Corp of America sickened at least 575 people beginning in January 2009 and led to recalls of 1,790 potentially tainted foods ranging from ice cream to pet treats.
* An outbreak of Salmonella in 2007 was linked to Peter Pan brand peanut butter. ConAgra Foods Inc <CAG.N> closed a Georgia plant after more than 300 people became ill in that outbreak.
* An unusual strain of Salmonella carried by jalepeno and serrano peppers from Mexico sickened more than 1,400 people from April to August 2007 and put 286 in the hospital.
* An E. coli epidemic traced to California spinach killed three people in 2006 and sickened 199 people in 26 states. (Compiled by Martinne Geller in New York; Edited by Doina Chiacu)
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