The UK Food Standards Agency (FSA) has announced a new UK Food Safety Network to combat foodborne illness. FSA and the Biotechnology and Biological Research Council (BBSRC) have invested £1.6 million toward creating the new network, which will be hosted by the Quadram Institute, a center for food health and research. The capital invested into the creation of the UK Food Safety Network is a small fraction of what foodborne illness costs the UK—£9 billion yearly, according to FSA.
FSA asserts that foodborne illness is a major health challenge in the UK, reporting an estimated 2.4 million cases each year. The majority of foodborne illness in the UK is caused by microbial pathogens, of which Salmonella and Campylobacter have the greatest economic impact. FSA adds that, while foodborne illness caused by Listeria monocytogenes is rare in the UK, it has a mortality rate of nearly 13 percent. Microbes also contribute to food waste, with Pseudomonas accounting for 25 percent of food spoilage in the UK.