CDC Study: Rise in Imported Food Outbreaks Could Impact North Dakota Tables

Why it matters locally: The CDC's report on increasing outbreaks linked to imported foods has potential implications for North Dakotans, even though the state isn't a major port of entry. Many grocery stores in North Dakota stock produce, seafood, and other food items sourced from around the globe. An increase in outbreaks means a higher risk of contaminated foods reaching local consumers, leading to potential health risks and increased medical costs for residents. Local restaurants also rely on imported ingredients, creating a risk for local businesses and potential damage to their reputations if outbreaks are linked to their establishments. Furthermore, this news could prompt increased scrutiny by the North Dakota Department of Health and the state's food safety inspectors. Local food safety regulations may be re-evaluated and enforcement could increase, placing an additional burden on local businesses that import or use imported ingredients. The state could also see increased costs for food safety monitoring and outbreak investigations due to this national trend.

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Atlanta, GA - Research presented by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) suggests an increase in foodborne illness outbreaks linked to imported food during 2009 and 2010. The findings were presented at the International Conference on Emerging Infectious Diseases in Atlanta. The study focused on outbreaks where imported foods were identified as the source of contamination. According to the CDC's research, nearly half of these outbreaks involved food products originating from regions that had not previously been linked to foodborne illness outbreaks. Further details regarding specific food types or countries of origin were not immediately available from the preliminary report presented at the conference.