Cost Estimates of Foodborne Illnesses
Economic Research Service (ERS) Data Product
PUBLISHED ON Dec 7, 2017
LAST UPDATED Dec 7, 2017
ACCESS TYPEOpen
Metadata Updated: January 19, 2018

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 researches:

  • conduct economic analyses of the benefits of improved food safety,
  • refine estimation methodologies, and
  • ovide updated estimates of the costs of illness for selected foodborne pathogens.

For more information: USDA-ERS: Foodborne Illness