Foodborne illness remains a large public-health burden. The FDA estimates about 48 million illnesses, 128,000 hospitalizations, and 3,000 deaths in the United States each year. That estimate is about 1 in 6 Americans annually. More narrowly, CDC estimates for seven major pathogens counted 9.9 million domestically acquired illnesses, 53,300 hospitalizations, and 931 deaths in 2019.
Contents
- Key U.S. foodborne illness estimates
- Which pathogens cause the most illness
- Hospitalizations, deaths, and pathogen severity
- FoodNet infections and outbreak investigations
- How quickly symptoms begin and how long illness lasts
- Economic cost of foodborne illness
- Global foodborne illness statistics
Key U.S. foodborne illness estimates
Several widely cited estimates describe different parts of the U.S. burden. The FDA’s annual estimate covers foodborne illnesses broadly and places the total at about 48 million cases. The same FDA estimate reports about 128,000 hospitalizations and 3,000 deaths each year. These are annual estimates, not a count from one single year’s surveillance system.
The CDC’s 2019 estimate is narrower: it covers domestically acquired illness attributed to seven major pathogens. Within that scope, CDC estimated 9.9 million illnesses, 53,300 hospitalizations, and 931 deaths. The difference between the FDA and CDC totals reflects differences in scope, methodology, and the organisms included, so the figures should not be treated as competing counts of the same dataset.
USDA Economic Research Service estimates for 2023 provide another broad U.S. view. USDA ERS estimated 47,780,837 total foodborne illness cases, including 9,388,133 cases from 31 major pathogens and 38,392,704 cases of other foodborne gastroenteritis. The 2023 estimate therefore separates illnesses attributed to major named pathogens from other foodborne gastrointestinal illness.
| U.S. estimate | Measurement period or scope | Reported figure |
|---|---|---|
| FDA illnesses | Annual U.S. estimate | About 48 million |
| FDA hospitalizations | Annual U.S. estimate | About 128,000 |
| FDA deaths | Annual U.S. estimate | About 3,000 |
| CDC illnesses | Seven major pathogens, 2019 | 9.9 million |
| CDC hospitalizations | Seven major pathogens, 2019 | 53,300 |
| CDC deaths | Seven major pathogens, 2019 | 931 |
| USDA ERS total cases | U.S. estimate, 2023 | 47,780,837 |
Sources: FDA, What You Need to Know about Foodborne Illnesses; CDC, Burden of Foodborne Illness in the United States; USDA ERS, Cost Estimates of Foodborne Illnesses.
Which pathogens cause the most illness
The CDC’s 2019 estimates show a highly uneven distribution among seven major pathogens. Norovirus caused an estimated 5,540,000 illnesses, making it the largest illness estimate in this group. Campylobacter caused 1,870,000 illnesses, while Salmonella caused 1,280,000. Clostridium perfringens caused 889,000 illnesses, and STEC caused 357,000.
The same CDC estimates also show important differences within pathogen categories. Among estimated Salmonella infections, Salmonella Enteritidis accounted for 23%, Salmonella Newport for 14%, and Salmonella Typhimurium for 11%. Salmonella I 4,[5],12:i:- and Salmonella Javiana each accounted for 7%.
For Shiga toxin-producing E. coli, non-O157 serogroups caused 76% of STEC illnesses, while O157 serotypes caused 24%. These percentages describe the distribution of the STEC illnesses in the CDC estimate rather than all foodborne illnesses.
The largest illness totals in the CDC 2019 seven-pathogen estimate were:
- Norovirus: 5,540,000 illnesses.
- Campylobacter: 1,870,000 illnesses.
- Salmonella: 1,280,000 illnesses.
- Clostridium perfringens: 889,000 illnesses.
- STEC: 357,000 illnesses.
The CDC figures are estimates for 2019, while the USDA ERS total is an estimate for 2023. Their different periods and scopes matter when comparing them.
Hospitalizations, deaths, and pathogen severity
Illness totals do not by themselves describe severity. In the CDC 2019 estimate, norovirus caused 22,400 hospitalizations and 174 deaths. Campylobacter caused 13,000 hospitalizations and 197 deaths, while Salmonella caused 12,500 hospitalizations and 238 deaths. STEC caused 3,150 hospitalizations and 66 deaths. Clostridium perfringens caused 338 hospitalizations and 41 deaths.
The CDC also estimated 848 hospitalizations and 44 deaths associated with Toxoplasma gondii in 2019. Invasive Listeria caused 1,050 non-pregnancy-associated illnesses and 198 pregnancy-associated illnesses. These Listeria figures are illness counts for the specified categories, not a complete estimate of every Listeria outcome.
| Pathogen or category | Estimated illnesses | Estimated hospitalizations | Estimated deaths |
|---|---|---|---|
| Norovirus, 2019 | 5,540,000 | 22,400 | 174 |
| Campylobacter, 2019 | 1,870,000 | 13,000 | 197 |
| Salmonella, 2019 | 1,280,000 | 12,500 | 238 |
| Clostridium perfringens, 2019 | 889,000 | 338 | 41 |
| STEC, 2019 | 357,000 | 3,150 | 66 |
| Toxoplasma gondii, 2019 | Not reported here | 848 | 44 |
Source: CDC, Burden of Foodborne Illness in the United States. The figures are estimates and refer to the 2019 measurement period.
FoodNet infections and outbreak investigations
CDC FoodNet surveillance identified 29,607 infections in its historic catchment area during 2023, along with 7,234 hospitalizations and 177 deaths. In the expanded catchment area, FoodNet identified 31,492 infections, 7,588 hospitalizations, and 184 deaths during 2023. The historic catchment cases increased 6.4% compared with the catchment population increase of 5.1%.
The historic catchment data also describe who was counted. Children aged 4 years or younger accounted for 3,534 cases, or 11.9% of cases. People aged 18–59 years accounted for 14,806 cases, or 50.0%, and people aged 60 years or older accounted for 8,656 cases, or 29.2%. Female patients accounted for 14,577 cases, or 49.2%; male patients accounted for 14,966, or 50.6%.
By race and setting in the historic catchment area, White patients accounted for 19,599 cases, or 66.2%. Urban cases accounted for 24,565 cases, or 83.0%, while rural cases accounted for 5,041 cases, or 17.0%.
During 2023, CDC and partners investigated 181 possible multistate enteric outbreaks. Eighty-four were determined to be outbreaks, and investigators solved 50 of those, a 60% solve rate. The 84 outbreaks resulted in 3,153 illnesses, 942 hospitalizations, and 10 deaths. The 50 solved outbreaks included 32 foodborne outbreaks, which caused 1,219 illnesses, 421 hospitalizations, and 9 deaths.
Source: CDC, FoodNet 2023 MMWR and CDC, 2023 multistate outbreak summary.
How quickly symptoms begin and how long illness lasts
The FDA’s What You Need to Know about Foodborne Illnesses lists different onset windows and durations for individual conditions. Bacillus cereus typically starts 10–16 hours after ingestion and usually lasts 24–48 hours. Clostridium perfringens typically starts 8–16 hours after ingestion and usually lasts about 24 hours. Staphylococcal food poisoning has a shorter typical onset of 1–6 hours and usually lasts 24–48 hours.
Norovirus typically starts 12–48 hours after ingestion and usually lasts 12–60 hours. Salmonellosis typically starts 6–48 hours after ingestion and usually lasts 4–7 days. Campylobacteriosis typically starts 2–5 days after ingestion and usually lasts 2–10 days. Shigellosis typically starts 4–7 days after ingestion and usually lasts 24–48 hours.
Some conditions have wider or substantially longer windows. Vibrio parahaemolyticus illness typically starts 4–96 hours after ingestion and usually lasts 2–5 days. Vibrio vulnificus illness typically starts 1–7 days after ingestion and usually lasts 2–8 days. Toxin-producing E. coli illness typically starts 1–3 days after ingestion and usually lasts 3–7 or more days. E. coli O157:H7 illness typically starts 1–8 days after ingestion and usually lasts 5–10 days.
Hepatitis A has an average onset of 28 days, with a reported onset range of 15–50 days, and illness can last 2 weeks to 3 months. Cryptosporidiosis typically starts 2–10 days after ingestion and may remittingly relapse over weeks to months. Cyclosporiasis typically starts 1–14 days after ingestion, usually at least 1 week, and may also remittingly relapse over weeks to months.
Listeriosis can begin with gastrointestinal symptoms in 9–48 hours, while invasive listeriosis can take 2–6 weeks to appear; its duration is variable. Botulism typically starts 12–72 hours after ingestion, but its duration is variable and can include respiratory failure and death. Onset timing is not a diagnosis: symptoms and outcomes can vary, and the FDA descriptions are condition-specific ranges.
Economic cost of foodborne illness
USDA ERS estimates the 2023 U.S. cost of foodborne illness at $74.7161 billion. Illnesses from 31 major pathogens accounted for $44.7433 billion, while other foodborne gastroenteritis accounted for $29.9728 billion. The estimated overall cost per case was $1,564.
Costs vary sharply by pathogen. Nontyphoidal Salmonella accounted for $17.127 billion in total cost, with a mean per-case cost of $16,668. Campylobacter accounted for $11.3273 billion, with a mean per-case cost of $13,405. Toxoplasma gondii accounted for $5.7193 billion, with a mean per-case cost of $65,926.
Listeria monocytogenes accounted for $3.9643 billion in total cost and had a mean per-case cost of $2,504,296. Norovirus accounted for $2.9683 billion, with a mean per-case cost of $543. STEC O157 and non-O157 together accounted for $503.9 million.
| USDA ERS 2023 cost estimate | Total cost | Mean cost per case |
|---|---|---|
| All foodborne illness | $74.7161 billion | $1,564 overall |
| Nontyphoidal Salmonella | $17.127 billion | $16,668 |
| Campylobacter | $11.3273 billion | $13,405 |
| Toxoplasma gondii | $5.7193 billion | $65,926 |
| Listeria monocytogenes | $3.9643 billion | $2,504,296 |
| Norovirus | $2.9683 billion | $543 |
Source: USDA ERS, Cost Estimates of Foodborne Illnesses. These are estimates for the United States in 2023.
Global foodborne illness statistics
The WHO says nearly 1 in 10 people worldwide fall ill after eating contaminated food each year. WHO also says contaminated food causes over 420,000 deaths globally each year. These global statements use a worldwide scope and should not be compared directly with the U.S.-specific estimates above without accounting for geography, population, and methodology.
Together, the available figures show why foodborne illness statistics need context. A broad annual estimate, a pathogen-specific 2019 model, 2023 FoodNet surveillance, outbreak investigations, and a 2023 economic model answer different questions. Measurement period, geography, case definition, and whether a number is observed or estimated all affect what the figure means.