SEATTLE—Foodborne illnesses like the E. coli outbreak linked to Chipotle restaurants in the Northwest are more common than the public realizes, experts say, with most instances never making the news.
About 48 million cases of foodborne disease occur in the U.S. annually, sending about 105,000 people to the hospital and resulting in 2,000 deaths, according to data from the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. That’s about 1 in 7 people in the country getting sick from food every year.
Many of these illnesses involve people eating at home, but even restaurant-related outbreaks are fairly common, said Dr. Paul Cieslak, medical director for communicable diseases at Oregon’s state health agency.
“Screw-ups can occur in any kitchen, but obviously it’s more dramatic when it occurs in a kitchen that serves 5,000 people,” said Cieslak, who has helped investigate the E. coli outbreak that sickened about 45 people in Washington state and Oregon.
There are things people can do to ward off foodborne illnesses: Wash your hands before making or eating food, avoid undercooked hamburger or raw shellfish, be careful about cross-contamination of raw meat, wash produce thoroughly, and steer clear of unpasteurized milk or juice.
But it’s impossible to avoid all bacteria on food, Cieslak says. For example, if lettuce or berries are contaminated with E. coli, it’s very difficult to wash them well enough to get to every nook and cranny where the bacteria are hiding.
“When you go to a restaurant, let’s face it—you’re kind of at the mercy of what’s going on in the kitchen,” he said.
Most reports of potential food-related illnesses pose no ongoing threat, so local health departments do not report them to the public, according to Dr. Jeff Duchin, health officer for Seattle and King County Public Health.
Of the more than 1,000 potential cases each year in the county that includes Seattle, only a handful are confirmed as food-related outbreaks. When those confirmed cases pose an ongoing risk to the public, an announcement is made.
Duchin said that’s why the most recent Chipotle-related outbreak attracted widespread media attention, while a smaller case—five people sick from eating at one Seattle Chipotle restaurant in July—was not reported.
