Imported Seafood Products have the Most Pathogen/Toxin Violations

USDA’s Economic Research Service says about 70 percent of pathogen violations came from two sources over the last 20 years. 

Food imported into the United States from other countries may contain pathogens such as bacteria or toxins, which are mostly produced by microorganisms. 

From 2002 to 2019, a total of 22,350 pathogen violations occurred from imported foods, and a majority from fishery and seafood products and the spices industry. 

Fishery and seafood products had 9,857 pathogen violations over this period, accounting for 44.1 percent of the total refused imports. 

This category was followed by spices, flavors, and salts, which had 5,886 violations, or 26.3 percent of the total. 

Cheese and cheese products accounted for 7.1 percent of the total, followed by fruits and fruit products with 6.2 percent, nuts and edible seeds with 5.1 percent, and vegetable products with 4.1 percent. 

In total, the top six food industries accounted for 93 percent of the total pathogen violations over the period.

(Courtesy of the NAFB News Service)