How serious are foodborne illnesses in the United States?

Dr. Mehmet Oz, MD

Cardiology (Cardiovascular Disease)

Every year, one in six Americans become ill from a foodborne pathogen. Nearly 13,000 experience illnesses strong enough to land them in the hospital, and 3,000 die.
This content originally appeared on doctoroz.com

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Food Poisoning

When food starts to rot it develops bacteria, breeds viruses, and may be infested with parasites. These or the toxins they produce may cause food poisoning. Care in putting away leftovers and tossing out questionable food will protect you. Some of the bacteria can be quite dangerous, including salmonella and E. coli. Several years ago, e coli infections traced to improperly cleaned lettuce resulted in severe illness and forced the closure of the Chi-Chi's restaurant chain.

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