Food Protection Trends - April 2009 - 205

FIGURE 1. Total numbers of foodborne illness outbreaks associated with Mexican food for each year in the US (1990 to 2006) are illustrated as bars, with numbers of cases shown in the middle. The diamonds connected by the line represent the percentage of outbreaks associated with Mexican foods, as compared to the total number of foodborne illness outbreaks reported to the CDC during the same time period INTRODUCTION In recent years, Mexican foods, along with Italian and Asian foods, have become mainstream ethnic foods in the United States (US) (10, 12, 14, 15). Tortillas, salsa, refried beans, quesadillas and guacamole are available in general grocery stores, restaurants and specialty stores. This widespread ethnic food availability in the US is perhaps a reflection of the exponential growth of the ethnic population. According to the US Census Bureau, 15% of the US population is of Hispanic origin, with a majority being Mexican-American and people of Hispanic origin are expected to make up 24% of the total population by 2050 (1, 20). This demographic change has caused growth in the ethnic food sector, including ethnic food restaurants, leading Americans to experience new flavors and become familiar with foods from foreign countries. Furthermore, as per capita income increases, especially among ethnic populations, spending on foods eaten away from home increases (5, 19). Mexican foods are the second largest segment in the top 100 menu categories, with 12.5% of retail sales (11, 18). One market research survey found that 46% of US households surveyed ate Mexican food four or more times per month (4). It is difficult to obtain an accurate estimate of the frequency of foodborne diseases. In the US, the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) estimates that 76 million cases of foodborne diseases occur each year, resulting in 325,000 hospitalizations and 5,000 deaths (9). The Center for Science in the Public Interest (CSPI) collects its own foodborne illness data, and from 1990 to 2005 its data reveal a total of 5,316 foodborne outbreaks, with 157,830 individual cases. Seafood, produce, poultry, beef, and eggs were responsible for 60% of all outbreaks and 55% of disease cases. Produce items were implicated in the largest number of outbreaks and cases (713 outbreaks, 34,049 cases) and accounted for 22% of the total outbreaks (2). However, specific information on the preparation and serving of food products associated with outbreaks in different types of cuisines is rarely available. Simonne et al. (17) first reported on the relationship between foodborne illness and type of ethnic cuisine, on the basis of data reported to the CDC from 1990 to 2000. Their research showed that, of the three ethnic cuisines most commonly consumed in the US, Mexican foods are the most frequent source of foodborne disease outbreaks (17). This study also revealed that the profiles of microorganisms implicated in outbreaks were different for various ethnic cuisines (17). Asian and Mexican/Latin American cuisines are the most commonly available ethnic cuisines in the US. Mauer et al. surveyed food safety inspectors in different jurisdictions across the US in 2006. More than 90% of the participants reported that Mexican/Latin American food items are prepared, stored and served in food establishments in their jurisdictions, but participants considered few of these food items to be problematic from a food safety point of view. Food safety professionals may be particularly concerned with food safety issues associated with foods with which they are not familiar, even without specific knowledge of hazards associated with these foods (8). However, findings of Simonne et al. (17) show that Mexican cuisine is the ethnic cuisine most frequently associated with foodborne disease outbreaks. Mexican cuisine often features a combination of cooked and raw ingredients, and this serving practice, along with problematic handler hygiene practices, may contribute to food contamination and microbial growth. APRIL 2009 | FOOD PROTECTION TRENDS 205

Food Protection Trends - April 2009

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