Food Poisoning Costs U.S. $152 Billion a Year

Food poisoning costs the U.S. $152 billion, kills 5,000 people, and sends 325,000 to the hospital each year, new calculations suggest.
The figures come from a new study by former FDA economist Robert L. Scharff, PhD, JD, now an assistant professor at Ohio State University.
"This study illustrates how serious food-borne illness is as a problem for our society," Scharff said at a news teleconference announcing the findings.
The study, underwritten by the Produce Safety Project at Georgetown University and Pew Charitable Trusts, considers the direct health care costs of food-borne illnesses as well as the costs of years of life lost.

http://www.webmd.com/food-recipes/food-poisoning/news/20100303/food-poisoning-costs-152-billion-a-year