Australia’s foodborne illness reduction strategy 2018–2021+ scorecard

Food regulation – government, industry and researchers collaborating to reduce foodborne illness in Australia.

Salmonellosis:

• About 10.7k cases in 2021
• $102m in health care costs
• About 20% fewer cases over a 5 year mean
• Main sources of illness are eggs and leafy greens

Campylobacteriosis:

• About 37k cases in 2021
• $379m in health care costs
• About 10% more cases over a 5 year mean
• Poultry products and handling are a major source of Campylobacter

Achievements:

• Embracing Whole Genome Sequencing technology to minimise outbreaks.
  • Estimated 70k fewer Salmonellosis cases equates a reduction of $107,000 in health care costs from 2017 to 20 June 2021.
• Targeted education and training for the retail food service sector.
• Flock vaccination and on-farm biosecurity measures to improve egg safety.
• Melon industry safety program.
• Campylobacter source attribution study and collaboration with industry.
• Implement national poultry process hygiene criteria.
• Improving food service practices and food safety culture (pilot projects).
• Improved collection, collation and analysis of national data.

Key risk areas and next steps for salmonellosis are:

• Horticulture – leafy greens, melons and berries – developing food safety standards (P1052).
  • The case: 2 large outbreaks in 2020 & 2021 (1600 cases, estimated health care and productivity costs of $55.5 million).
• Retail and food service – improving food safety standards and culture (P1053) and improved training opportunities for food handlers.
  • The case: most common setting for outbreaks, food safety culture a root cause.
• Eggs – reviewing food safety standard.
  • The case: most common reservoir nationwide, recent incursion of Salmonella Enteritidis.

Key risk areas and next steps for campylobacteriosis are:

• extend food safety culture work to other sectors and along the supply chain
• improve risk based assessment of food businesses
• consider effectiveness of Poultry Standard and the role of consumer behaviour.