By the Numbers

—According to a new report published by the Center for Science in the Public Interest (CSPI), over the past decade, seafood has been the leading cause of foodborne illness in the United States. Based on approximately 1,600 food-poisoning outbreaks affecting more than 70,000 individuals between 1990 and 2001, CSPI found seafood caused 340 outbreaks with 5,133 cases of foodborne illness; eggs and egg dishes caused 271 outbreaks with 10,827 cases; fruits and vegetables caused 148 outbreaks with 9,413 cases; beef caused 134 outbreaks with 6,089 cases; and poultry caused 79 outbreaks with 4,279 cases.

—According to Song Jian, vice-chairman of the National Committee of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference, China has become the world’s leading producer of fruits and vegetables. Statistics show, said Jian, that in 2000 China’s fruit growing area and production reached 8.67 million hectares and 62.37 million tons, accounting for 18 percent and 13 percent of the world total respectively. China’s vegetable growing area and production amounted to 14.67 million hectares and 440 million tons, accounting for 35 percent and 66 percent of the world total respectively.

—According to MarketResearch.com, in its recently published report “The U.S. Market for Bottled and Enhanced Water,” bottled water consumption in the U.S. reached 5 billion gallons in 2000, suggesting that by 2004 bottled water will replace coffee and tea as the second largest beverage product category behind soft drinks.

—According to the FDA’s 2001 domestic produce microbiological sampling survey results, of the total 959 produce samples collected and analyzed from May through December 2001, only 12 items tested positive for either Salmonella or Shigella; 98.7 percent of all samples indicated no contamination whatsoever. The eight commodities tested included cantaloupe, celery, cilantro, green onions, lettuce, parsley, strawberries, and tomatoes. None of the celery, strawberry and tomato samples tested positive for pathogens.