Prevention of foodborne illness and the role of the dietitian. (Beyond the Headlines).

In times when foodborne disease outbreaks occur due to bacterial food contamination, registered dietitians are in a unique position as healthcare professionals to bring a wide range of knowledge of food safety practices to consumers and their clients. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), every year foodborne diseases cause an estimated 76 million illnesses, 325,000 hospitalizations, and 5,000 deaths nationwide (1). Thus far, 50 ill persons infected with the outbreak strain of listeria have been detected since mid-July of 2002; most were hospitalized, 7 have died, and 3 pregnant women have had miscarriages or stillbirths. Epidemiologic data indicate that precooked, sliceable turkey deli meat is the cause of this outbreak (2). Last year, approximately 27.4 million pounds of cooked sandwich meat from Texas-based Pilgrim's Pride Corporation were recalled by the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) after possible contamination from the listeria bacteria.

Recently Dr. Elsa Murano, a top official for the USDA, stated that current testing for listeria is not stringent enough to fully protect the nation's food supply, and new prevention methods need to be created. Aside from this, it has also been revealed that health inspectors had warned a food plant of numerous sanitation violations months before a deadly listeria outbreak was linked …