About 48 million people (one in six Americans) get sick, 128,000 are hospitalized and 3,000 die each year from foodborne diseases, according to data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Atlanta. And, with the implementation of the Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA), the food safety paradigm is changing from a reactive response to contamination to a proactive approach to prevention.
With FSMA changes, food producers and processors are on the frontlines accepting significant responsibility for food safety, yet it will require a collaborative approach throughout the cold chain to ensure safe and sanitary conditions are achieved.