Status of Salmonella - Ten Years Later

The current status of the Salmonella problem, 10 years after publication of the report of the Committee on Salmonella of the National Research Council, was reviewed. The incidence of human salmonellosis has increased during this period. The major source of the Salmonella problem in man still derives from foods of animal origin, especially poultry, beef and pork. Contaminated products cause disease as the result of inadequate cooking or cross-contamination of working surfaces in the kitchen environment. The epidemiology of human salmonellosis has not changed during the past decade. Surveillance remains a powerful tool for protecting the consumer by discovering on-going epidemics, but it has done little to control the endemic problem from which epidemics emerge. Several outbreaks during the past decade indicate that the infecting dose, at least for certain Salmonella strains in certain foods, is considerably lower than that indicated on the basis of volunteer studies with adult male prisoners. The National Research Council report, as well as those from numerous other groups, emphasized the need for consumer education if the incidence of food-associated outbreaks is to be reduced. The rising incidence of human salmonellosis indicates that consumer education programs have not been successful. It was suggested that courses of study in proper food handling practices could profitably be directed toward students in secondary schools and that as a result, on a long term basis, the incidence of foodborne illness, including salmonellosis, would be reduced. Since a large percentage of outbreaks is traced to mishandling of foods in commercial establishments, it was suggested that inspectional activities in hotels, restaurant and catering facilities be increased at the expense of decreased activities in food processing facilities.