According to the World Health Organization, over 200 illnesses and diseases – ranging from diarrhea to cancer – are associated with harmful bacteria, viruses, parasites or chemical contaminants in food, and hundreds of millions of people worldwide are affected each year. Here in the U.S., the Centers for Disease Control in Atlanta, GA estimates that 48 million people become ill annually from foodborne contaminants. Over 120,000 of these illnesses are serious enough to require hospitalization, and as many as 3,000 people die.
