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USDA's school nutrition programs include the National School Lunch Program (NSLP) and the School Breakfast Program (SBP). On an average schoolday in 2001, 27.5 million children ate an NSLP lunch [...]

Although younger individuals usually face far higher rates of infection from foodborne pathogens (bacteria, fungi, parasites, viruses, and their toxins), older adults, along with the very young and the immuno-compromised, [...]

VACCINATION OFFERS SOME PROTECTION FOR DOMESTIC HERDS AGAINST FOOT-AND-MOUTH DISEASE, YET ELIMINATES A COUNTRY'S FMD-FREE TRADE STATUS. THIS POSES A QUANDARY FOR POLICY-MAKERS. The first major foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) outbreak [...]

Consumption of food contaminated with microbial pathogens (bacteria, fungi, parasites, viruses, and their toxins) causes an estimated 76 million illnesses, 325,000 hospitalizations, and 5,000 deaths each year in the United [...]

Salmonella infections due to contaminated food products make many people ill each year and are responsible for substantial economic costs. Salmonella infections are potentially serious and may be fatal, particularly [...]

There has been increasing concern in recent years over the human health risks posed by microbial pathogens - bacteria, parasites, fungi, and viruses - in the food supply. Each year [...]

Guillain-Barre syndrome (GBS) is the leading cause of acute paralysis in the United States now that polio has been almost eliminated by vaccination programs. Although the causes of GBS are [...]

Insufficiently cooked ground beef was identified as the cause of a 1993 outbreak of Escherichia coli O157:H7 illness in the Western United States when four children died and over 700 [...]

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) oversees the safety of raw meat, poultry, eggs, and egg products. USDA's traditional inspection system for meat and poultry has relied largely on sight, [...]

Pathogens are disease-causing microorganisms that include bacteria, fungi, parasites, and viruses. Pathogens can cause illness through contaminated food, contaminated water, or person-to-person contact. Most foodborne illnesses typically have a rapid [...]

Microbial pathogens in food cause between 6.5 million and 33 million cases of human illness and up to 9,000 deaths each year in the United States. Over 40 different foodborne [...]

Most people obtain food-safety information from television and newspapers, yet most are more likely to completely trust the food-safety information from Government publications and food packaging or labels. In the [...]

The effect of a postharvest pesticide ban on the grapefruit industry is investigated using the marketing margin theory and Gardner's six equation model. The results indicated that such a ban could mean greater postharvest losses for grapefruit packinghouses, increased chemical costs and a decreased demand for the safer grapefruit products. However, most of the price shock will be absorbed by the growers and not the packinghouses.

It is common to hear that the U.S. food supply is among the safest in the world. Yet, it is equally common to hear concerns expressed about it--particularly over microbial [...]

I. PROBLEM STATEMENT Understanding thoroughbred yearling price is important to the decision making of both breeders and racing stables.(1) If breeders and buyers had better information on yearling price, then [...]

Each year Americans experience 16,000 to 48,000 cases of foodborne illness from fruit and vegetable juices, according to Food and Drug Administration (FDA) estimates. Increasing public concern and recent outbreaks [...]

Around 180,000 cases of bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE), or 'mad cow disease,' have been confirmed in cattle since it was first identified in 1986 in Great Britain. Making matters worse, [...]

Irradiation, a process that exposes products to ionizing radiation, can control or reduce microbial pathogens (illness-causing bacteria, parasites, and fungi) and can extend the shelf-life for some perishable food products, [...]

Americans increased their consumption of tree nuts by 45 percent between the mid-1990s and mid-2000s, with almonds being among the favorites. Promotional programs that advertise the nutritional value of nuts, [...]

Given the current popularity of Starbucks and other specialty coffees, it may be surprising that U.S. per capita coffee consumption is only half of what it was in the mid-1940s, [...]

The average American diet falls short of the daily recommendations for fruit and vegetables in the 2005 Dietary Guidelines for Americans and in the supporting MyPyramid Food Guidance System. If [...]

While potatoes have been a mainstay of the American diet for generations, how potatoes are eaten has changed dramatically. In 1960, Americans consumed a yearly average of 81 pounds of [...]

The article reports on the issue of food loss and waste in the U.S. It mentions concerns over yield and disposition of uneaten food along with shortage due to pollution and distress on food supply worldwide. An overview of the Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA) Food Waste Challenge is also presented.

The article focuses on the U.S. Economic Research Service (ERS) as it turns one hundred years in 2010, adapted from the ERS Food Availability (Per capita) Data System. It notes that the availability of data reveals evolving food choices as illustrated by several forces such as rising incomes and trade, new technologies and agricultural policies. It concludes that ERS has updated and enhanced the usability of its food availability data system.

This article presents several graphical representations of food consumption in the U.S., including the amount of food available for consumption in the U.S.

Discusses the issue of food safety in the expansion of global food trade. Factors that contribute to the differences in food safety regulations and standards among countries; Information on how countries tackle the issue of food safety risks; Food safety regulations trend in industrialized countries.

Presents updates on the 1993 cost estimates of foodborne illnesses reported by the US Food and Drug Administration's Economic Research Service. Use of 1995 medical costs and wage rates; Improvement in the consistency of calculations across all pathogens; Calculation of the costs of foodborne illness and the value of a statistical life.

The article discusses consumer-level loss estimates, which was updated by Research Triangle Institute (RTI) International in agreement with Economic Research Service (ERS) in the U.S. RTI researchers compared purchase data from Nielsen Homescan Perishables Group, Inc., with consumption data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) for about 200 foods. RTI estimate and the ERS loss estimates are found to be similar.

The article analyzes U.S Food and Drug Administration (FDA) data on food import shipments that were refused entry from 1998-2004. It reveals that of 70,369 import violations, 65% were for adulteration, 33% for mishandling and 2% were for other violations such as forbidden items or restricted in sale. The top three food categories with the highest violations are vegetables 20.6%, fishery and seafood 20.1% and fruits 11.7% while Salmonella accounts for the highest in pathogen violations.

The article reports on the increased amount of sugars and caloric sweeteners added to the U.S. food supply since 1970. Based on the food availability data of the Economic Research Service (ERS), the total of added sugars grew by 19 percent or 142 pounds per person in 2005 as compared to 119 pounds per person in 1970. The study also cites that high-fructose corn syrup (HFCS) had replaced refined cane and beet sugars during the 1970 to 2005 period, but saw a decline in availability by 1999 due to the popularity of bottled water and diet soft drinks.

This article reports on the rise and fall in coffee consumption in the U.S. during the twentieth century. Data on per capita coffee availability are given, as well as an overview of coffee consumption during the first half of the century. It discusses the reasons for the declining coffee consumption since World War II and the growing popularity of speciality coffees in the last decades of the century.

The article offers news briefs on food and nutrition. Participation in the Food Stamp Program of the U.S. Department of Agriculture varies by state. Food insecurity continued to increase through 2004 before declining by about one percentage point to 11.0% in 2005. The total amount of fruit and vegetables available for consumption in the U.S. increased by 20% since 1970.

The article reports on the increase in the consumption of chicken between 1970 and 2004, according to data from the U.S. Department of Agriculture. The factors which contributed to the rise in chicken consumption are enumerated, such as the response of the industry to demands by consumers and food service operators for quality products.

Focuses on the expected awards that juries awarded for severe foodborne illness lawsuits filed against U.S. food firms, based on a research held by the Economic Research Service as of February 2004. Consequences faced by food firms that violated food safety laws; Categories of the lawsuits according to severity; Median award for the plaintiff victories.

Reports on the Fruits and Vegetable Pilot Program (FVPP) of the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Number of schools that participated in the program for the school year 2002-03; U.S. states that joined the FVPP; Fruits and vegetables which schools often buy; Estimate on the cost of the program.

Guillain-Barré syndrome (GBS) is an autoimmune disease characterized by acute neuromuscular paralysis. Of an estimated annual number of 2628–9575 US cases, 526–3830 are triggered by Campylobacter infection. Research objectives were to identify the lifetime consequences of GBS and, when possible, to quantify their economic burden. The cost-of-illness method was used to calculate annual societal resources spent on medical care and lost productivity due to illness or premature death from Campylobacter-associated GBS. Estimated total costs (in US$) of Campylobacter-associated GBS ($0.2–$1.8 billion) were added to previously estimated costs of campylobacteriosis ($1.3– $6.2 billion) for a total annual cost from Campylobacter of $1.5–$8.0 billion (1995 dollars). It is concluded that up to $8.0 billion in US human illness costs are spent annually because of Campylobacter infection. Economic evaluation of the other costs associated with GBS, such as physical and psychological costs, would increase these estimates.