The Interagency Food Safety Analytics Collaboration (IFSAC) has published its latest findings on the sources of foodborne illnesses in the United States for 2022. The report highlights which food categories were most often linked to infections caused by Salmonella, E. coli O157, and Listeria monocytogenes—three of the most concerning pathogens in food safety.

Salmonella: A Wide Range of Foods

Over 75% of Salmonella infections were traced back to just seven food categories. At the top of the list was chicken, responsible for 19.7% of cases. Fruits followed closely at 14.6%, with seeded vegetables (like tomatoes and peppers) accounting for 12%. Other significant contributors included pork (11.9%), other produce (9.4%), beef (6.9%), and turkey (5.2%). These findings emphasize the broad range of foods that can carry Salmonella, making it a persistent food safety challenge.

E. coli O157: Concentrated in Leafy Greens and Beef

The report found that E. coli O157 illnesses were far less evenly distributed compared to Salmonella. An overwhelming 85% of cases were linked to two primary sources:

• Vegetable row crops, such as leafy greens (63.7%)
• Beef (21.4%)

Dairy contributed minimally, accounting for just 3.3% of infections. Interestingly, no E. coli cases were linked to foods like eggs or oils and sugars.

Listeria monocytogenes: Dairy Leads the List

For Listeria monocytogenes, the illnesses were concentrated in three categories:

• Dairy products were the primary source, linked to 37.3% of cases.
• Vegetable row crops followed with 22.6%.
• Fruits, such as melons, contributed 17.3%.

No cases were attributed to other meat/poultry, grains, oils, or seeded vegetables, reflecting Listeria‘s specific pathways of contamination.Why This Data Matters

IFSAC’s analysis is based on 1,355 foodborne illness outbreaks spanning from 1998 to 2022, relying heavily on the most recent five years of data (2018–2022). By pinpointing the foods most frequently associated with these pathogens, the findings provide critical insights for food producers, regulators, and policymakers. These results can help target safety interventions, improve food handling practices, and ultimately reduce the risk of illness for consumers.

For more detailed findings and analysis, read the full report here:
👉 IFSAC Releases US Foodborne Illness Source Attribution Estimates for 2022