It seems as if every three to four months we hear about another food-borne illness outbreak.  Two of the most recent outbreaks both involve salmonella: one in cantaloupes and one in mangoes.  

In April, sushi was found to be infected by salmonella; last December it was E. coli and raw cookie dough, which was preceded by listeria-infected cantaloupe in October.  Why are they so common and how can you stay safe?

Food-borne illness, also referred to as food poisoning, results from eating food contaminated by infectious organisms and/or their toxins.  These infectious organisms can contaminate food throughout the production process: growing, harvesting, processing, storing, transporting or cooking.  

For example, in the recent case of cantaloupes, contamination could have occurred at multiple points.  Their rough, porous skin is an ideal breeding ground for bacteria.