We all know someone, or have been the victim ourselves, of foodborne illness. Improper sanitation, cross contamination, improper reheating or storage, are all factors in what can start an outbreak. But how much do you know about outbreaks in your state? the Centers for Disease Control monitors and records all foodborne illness outbreaks. The CDC also makes this data publicly available through their FOOD Tool. Using this data, we have put together the below interactive dashboard so that you can examine some of the locations and factors that play a part in foodborne illness outbreaks.

Key insights

In the opening view, you can see that overall, over the last ten years, foodborne illnesses have seen an overall decrease and plateau, trending up again only slightly over the last four years. But if you click on a particular state, like Texas, for example, you can see that not every state shares this overall trend.

Alternatively, if you select salmonella enterica, you can see that outbreaks are actually at an all time high! (Though still relatively low, with just 11 outbreaks recorded in 2015 )

If the above dashboard does not load, see the full dashboard here.

A lot of the information in this dashboard can be seen by hovering over the points of interest. hover over the states or common food vehicles, to see specific numbers. Explore the data by clicking on states, specific foods or bacteria to see how the trends change. You can also adjust the time frame by dragging the date sliders at the top.  What interesting trends do you find? Post in the comments below!

Preventing Foodborne Illness

There are several ways you can help prevent foodborne illness in the foodservice and hospitality environment, the first of which is ensuring proper sanitation of food serving and preparation equipment.  Proper hand care also plays a vital role in preventing cross contamination and the spread of germs.

Advantage Chemical has products that can help reduce your chances of being the next foodborne illness outbreak. With monthly preventative maintenance, 24/7 support, free training, and world class service, Advantage will help you reach that next level clean you’ve been looking for. Schedule your free consultation with a Chemical Specialist by using the contact us page above!