Incidence of food poisoning
The annual incidence of food poisoning in England and Wales is unknown and records of confirmed cases of food poisoning are unavailable.
Several million people each year suffer from gastrointestinal infections i.e. diarrhoea and vomiting and many of these will be foodborne illness. Actual number of cases of foodborne illness estimated to be around 900,000 (2005).
Risk groups – elderly, very young, pregnant women, ill people and immunocompromised
(Estimated there are 3 times as many cases compared to the number of isolates recorded and around 90% of isolates are a result of foodborne infection).
The Graph above Identifies outbreaks from commercial food businesses not from private residences.
Reported cases of food poisoning
• Food poisoning (for notification purposes) “Any disease of an infectious or toxic nature caused by or thought to be caused by the consumption of food or water”. These reports include illness resulting from viruses (<10% foodborne) and Campylobacter (>70% estimated to be foodborne).
• Many of these cases are unconfirmed i.e. no specimen provided.
• They include many cases of diarrhoea and vomiting, which are not foodborne. (Especially viral – rotavirus and norovirus, but also campylobacter).
• These statistics should not be used to indicate trends of actual food poisoning and they should never be used to indicate trends of food safety standards in commercial premises.