CDC FoodNet Data Show Several Foodborne Infections Rose in 2024

The latest CDC FoodNet surveillance release offers a clear reminder that food safety remains a practical kitchen issue. Across the FoodNet surveillance area, laboratories and health departments reported 24,624 infections, 6,746 hospitalizations and 178 deaths during 2024. Of those infections, 20,693 were considered domestically acquired.

FoodNet tracks laboratory-diagnosed infections caused by eight pathogens commonly transmitted through food: Campylobacter, Cyclospora, Listeria, Salmonella, Shiga toxin-producing E. coli, Shigella, Vibrio and Yersinia. The network compares current incidence with the 2016–2018 average, a reference period used to monitor progress toward food safety goals.

Several pathogens recorded higher incidence

Compared with the 2016–2018 reference period, overall incidence increased for Cyclospora, Shigella, Shiga toxin-producing E. coli, Vibrio and Yersinia. Incidence was similar for Listeria and Salmonella. That does not mean every foodborne illness is moving in the same direction, but it does show why broad prevention habits still matter even when a particular pathogen appears stable.

Salmonella remained one of the most frequently reported infections, with 9,219 cases recorded. Among the positive culture results that were fully serotyped, Enteritidis was the most common serotype, followed by Newport, Typhimurium, Javiana and I 4,[5],12:i:-. The CDC notes that these serotypes have remained among the most common detected by FoodNet since 2010.

Shiga toxin-producing E. coli accounted for 3,635 reported infections. Among the cultured isolates, O157 was the most common serogroup, followed by O103 and O26. Listeria was less frequent, with 182 reported infections, but it was associated with a much higher proportion of hospitalizations than most other pathogens. The figures describe diagnosed infections in the surveillance area; they are not an estimate of every foodborne illness occurring across the United States.

Why the numbers need careful reading

The CDC highlights a major change in how infections are detected. In 2024, 78% of bacterial infections monitored by FoodNet were diagnosed using culture-independent diagnostic tests, compared with 47% during 2016–2018. These tests can identify infections quickly and can detect illnesses that traditional culture methods might miss.

That change can make the number of reported infections rise even when the underlying risk is harder to measure. The CDC says increased testing is probably not the only explanation, however: for some pathogens, the increase in incidence appears to outpace the increase in diagnostic testing. Campylobacter requires a separate caution because FoodNet changed its reporting requirements in 2024, making that year’s figure unsuitable for direct comparison with the older reference period.

The report also uses the historic FoodNet catchment area for its main comparison, representing about 15% of the U.S. population. The broader surveillance area has since expanded to almost 54 million people, or roughly 16% of the population, improving representation but making consistent year-to-year comparisons more complicated.

What the release means at home

FoodNet is a surveillance system rather than a list of products to avoid. Its value is showing where prevention efforts are needed. For home cooks, the most useful response is to apply the CDC’s four-part framework: clean, separate, cook and chill.

1. Clean: Wash hands, utensils and work surfaces before preparing food and again after handling raw ingredients.
2. Separate: Keep raw meat, poultry, seafood and eggs away from ready-to-eat foods. Use separate boards or wash and sanitise equipment between tasks.
3. Cook: Use a food thermometer to check that meat, poultry, seafood and egg dishes are properly cooked instead of relying only on colour or texture.
4. Chill: Refrigerate perishable food promptly, keep the refrigerator cold and divide large leftovers into shallow containers so they cool more quickly.

These steps are especially important when cooking for children under five, pregnant people, adults over 65 or anyone with a weakened immune system, groups the CDC identifies as being at higher risk of severe foodborne illness.

A useful signal, not a reason for alarm

The FoodNet release does not predict what will happen in every household, and it does not identify one single cause behind the changes. It does provide a current, evidence-based snapshot: several monitored infections were higher than the historical reference level, while diagnostic technology was also changing rapidly.

That combination makes simple kitchen discipline more valuable, not less. Checking official outbreak notices, keeping recalled products out of meals and following the clean-separate-cook-chill sequence are practical actions that remain relevant while public-health agencies continue to refine the data.

Sources

• Official source: cdc.gov
• https://www.cdc.gov/foodnet/reports/preliminary-data.html