'Risky Food' Habits Decline with Consumers
ATLANTA, Ga. -- The number of people who reported eating one or more foods associated with an increased risk of foodborne diseases declined by a third from 1998 to 2002, according to a new study released at the International Conference on Emerging Infections here.
Researchers compared data from two telephone surveys conducted that the Foodborne Diseases Active Surveillance Network (FoodNet) conducted, in 1998 and 2002, which asked subjects about the foods they consumed in the previous week.
In 1998, 31 percent of those surveyed said they had consumed one or more risky foods in the previous week. In 2002, the number had dropped to 21 percent. "Risky foods" were defined as foods commonly associated with an increased risk of foodborne illness, including pink hamburgers; pink ground beef; raw fresh fish; raw oysters; raw or unpasteurized milk; runny eggs; and alfalfa sprouts.
The working group that conducted the study included researchers from the California Department of Health Services, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the Connecticut Emerging Infections Program, the Georgia Division of Public Health, the Tennessee Department of Health and the Oregon Department of Health Services.
Researchers compared data from two telephone surveys conducted that the Foodborne Diseases Active Surveillance Network (FoodNet) conducted, in 1998 and 2002, which asked subjects about the foods they consumed in the previous week.
In 1998, 31 percent of those surveyed said they had consumed one or more risky foods in the previous week. In 2002, the number had dropped to 21 percent. "Risky foods" were defined as foods commonly associated with an increased risk of foodborne illness, including pink hamburgers; pink ground beef; raw fresh fish; raw oysters; raw or unpasteurized milk; runny eggs; and alfalfa sprouts.
The working group that conducted the study included researchers from the California Department of Health Services, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the Connecticut Emerging Infections Program, the Georgia Division of Public Health, the Tennessee Department of Health and the Oregon Department of Health Services.