Economic Cost of Major Foodborne Illnesses Increased $2 Billion From 2013 to 2018

Foodborne illnesses from different pathogens (bacteria, viruses, and parasites) cause a variety of health effects, ranging from a few days of diarrhea to more serious outcomes such as kidney failure, cognitive impairment, and even death. Since the mid-1990s, the USDA, Economic Research Service (ERS) has estimated the economic cost of 15 major foodborne illnesses. ERS used the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's (CDC) foodborne illness incidence rates from 2011-the agency's most recent data-to develop the economic cost estimates. Calculating the cost of preventing deaths To calculate the willingness to pay to reduce the risk of death, also known as the value of a statistical life or VSL, economists estimate the amount of money individuals are willing to pay for small changes in their risk of death and divide it by the change in risk.